


Searching for Sawada Tsunayoshi

by angeldescendant



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Gen, Metafiction, Minor Canonical Character(s), Murder Mystery, Past Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 17:59:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3946294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angeldescendant/pseuds/angeldescendant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>KHR! was the center of Basil’s life when he was a child in Namimori. TYL after the series’ end, he returns to: prevent the start of a war, renew his severed ties, accept his father’s past, and find the truth among the fiction. AU. Meta. Gen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Searching for Sawada Tsunayoshi

**KHR! ENDED SERIALIZATION 10 YEARS AGO. BASIL IS 24 YEARS OLD.**

* * *

**_Searching for Sawada Tsunayoshi_ **

_First: Return_

**-X-**

_Basil lives, along with his siblings (they have no last name) in a small container van along with the other squatters in Pickpocket Street- a place far in the outskirts of Xan-Xan._

_He has been asked, numerous times why he chose to reside in that place since they moved in eight years ago. By that time, he was on the cusp of sixteen and has barely started with high school. He would only smile and bow his head in courtesy, saying that the rent is more than a half cheaper than the place they rented back in the town of Simon-Mon._

_Calling the rent in that street cheap would be an understatement. None of the old inhabitants in Xan-Xan would want to live in Pickpocket Street, notoriously known for its namesake. Many crimes were often committed there, mostly stealing and hit-and-runs. Also, the place was poorly-lit, with the mayor and his men afraid of setting foot in the place in fear of a shooting taking place._

_Basil was an odd one too. He barely fit in with his polite manner of speaking and clumsy gait. Both his two siblings, Lambo and Fuuta, go to the most respected schools in Xan-Xan. Basil was sixteen at the time he first stepped foot in the town, and never was he seen donning a uniform in Suni-chu nor the infamous Guminto-chu. Many of his neighbors confirmed the rumors that indeed, Basil stopped going to school to provide for his family. He has never given info of what happened to his parents, or if he has any living relatives. They were all known as orphans, and, like the rest of the people in Pickpocket Street, it suited them just fine. The people who’ve met or seen him pass by affirm he’s a respectable, polite and hardworking young man who aims to make his brothers finish their education. Though there are minor hiccups about Basil people brush about._

_There are times in the week he would come at the blush of dawn, heavily beaten and bruised. As time passed, the cuts and bruises became less and less. None question why, even the landlady, because he pays his bills on time. During the past four years, he would go to and fro the National Library, ten blocks away from Pickpocket Street after his job as a builder in the Nono Construction Company for who-knows-what. He stopped going halfway before Fuuta graduated in Elementary School for unknown reasons. Despite his seeming lack of formal education, the people whom he had spoken to note that he’s an intelligent boy, only cursed by the burden of younger siblings to attend to._

_“A shame. He would’ve had a bright future ahead of him,” the old timers would say._

_“He inspires us to work harder,” his peers would mention._

_“He has a real pretty face,” the town girls would squeal. And indeed he has, only it became less pronounced the more he grew up._

_He was also noted to come in most evenings at the bar Renato, just two blocks away from Pickpocket Street. The bartender, Tsuyoshi was his classmate in middle school._

_“Basil always drinks Scotch and a shot of Tequila,” he notes. “He’s a Sunday School Kid, no doubt. Doesn’t like to dawdle too much. He makes small talk, drinks quickly, and then leaves. Doesn’t like making a scene. I remember- don’t tell him I told yah- that idiot drunk Nozaru- tried picking a fight with Basil. He gave the money Nozaru wanted and left- just like that! He texts me often when Nozaru would come. That little coward, hahaha! Aww, what the hell am I saying… he just likes the quiet. And there’s something scary about that bastard. I can’t explain it- but in middle school, he wasn’t like this. He was far different from this.” And with that, he never explains further, for fear that he might break his promise of saying unnecessary tidbits about Basil._

_Out of all the positive and negative things people say about him, they all mention that Basil was a quiet guy- he only talks what he should talk about- none of the unnecessary complaints about work or about his siblings. He shies off at parties, and would only drink in Renato than anywhere else, even his own home._

**-X-**

“That’s the only info I can give you. Basil’s one selfish dude, keeping all his cards to his chest.”

“It’s alright. Thank you for the trouble, Nana-san. Shall we pay him a visit, then?”

**-X-**

He closes the door in the quietest manner possible before putting on his slippers. Once he peers at the left, he finds out there’s no need.

“Welcome back, brother,” A young boy with caramel brown hair yawns as he writes some more in his notebook a door away in the dingy living room.

“Good evening, Fuuta-kun. Has Lambo gone to sleep already?” Basil asks, his soft smile matching his lucid tone.

“He couldn’t stand studying anymore, so he went to his room. He must be waiting for you there though for your stories again.”

“I see. Thanks for telling me,” Basil acknowledges as he turns to the right to the place Fuuta mentioned, but stops as Fuuta continues talking.

“Did you go in again?”

Basil looks at the clock by the front. It was 2 AM.

“Yeah. It was a big showing too. I got cash to pay for your tuition by the end of the year, with enough to spare. Want sushi for dinner, tomorrow?”

“You’re too carefree, brother,” Fuuta says curtly as he writes more notes, barely looking at his older sibling. “Don’t forget your promise, ok? Once we have jobs, you won’t go there anymore.”

“Thank you for being so thoughtful, Fuuta-kun,” Basil smiles.

“I-I’m only being sensible- If I keep seeing you like _this_ -“

“You and Lambo-kun should be used to it by now,” he says and pats Fuuta’s head before leaving. “You should go to bed too. It’s really late.”

“I’ll just finish this section. Good night, Basil-nii.”

“Good night,” Basil says as he heads off a doorway to the right. He easily notices his brother’s dark bushy hair. The hair then turns to reveal a doe-eyed Lambo, whose eyes began watering at the sight of him.

“Wah, nii-chan, you came home safe again!”

“Were you wishing I wasn’t?” Basil mutters as he snuggles by Lambo’s side. “How was your day?”

“It was great! I passed Western History!”

“What about Math?”

“Uhm, let’s not talk about that,” Lambo says quickly, making Basil chuckle. At the sound of this, the youngest sibling immediately turns beetroot red and says: “I was waiting for you to tell me a story, Basil-niichan! Hurry up so I’d wake up early.”

“You’re a selfish one, aren’t you? Ok then, what do you want me to tell you about?”

“I had enough of you telling stories about dad. Can’t you tell stories about your best friends? Yamamoto-niichan told me you had them during your junior high. He told me they were really cool-“

“Did he?”

“Wah, nii-chan your voice is scary-“

“That Tsuyoshi really needs piece of my mind. How should I begin… My two friends in junior high weren’t my first best friends. I was nine when I had my first best friend-“

“But niichan, I want to know about Giotto-nii and Lavina-nee, not about your first best friend!”

“You should stop acting like a twelve-year-old, you know. You’ve already met those two though.”

“But it was so long ago. It’s been ten years since I last saw them in your graduation, remember?”

Basil couldn’t utter anymore words as he gives a small smile at the ceiling.

“It’s been really that long, huh?”

“You sound like an old man, niichan…”

“You’re ruining my reverie, Lambo…” he could only say as the tape of his time rewinds and he watches his past unfold in his mind. “Well, back in junior high you can say I was a bit of a nut.”

“A nut? As in a nutcase?”

“Yes. God, it feels so embarrassing. Because of that, people avoided me. But those two never left my side, even when I became a bigger nutcase,” Basil closes his eyes as he loses himself in his mind-held cinema. “Giotto was the first friend I had. He was the best in my class in almost everything. He was good at studying, sports, instruments, you name it. He was also easy to talk to and very hardworking. Even now, I wonder why he chose to be friends with me.”

“What about Lavina-nee?”

“If Giotto was the peacock, she was the phoenix- larger-than-life. She was the best in our year, the richest in the school, and a model-actress to boot. She was the prettiest- no- the _most beautiful_ girl I’ve ever met.”

“Ooh, I remember her face the most! But she never had a boyfriend, right?”

“Nope. I don’t know now though. Maybe she has one… or maybe she’s married. I’ve read the news about them countless times before. They must be making millions by now.”

“You would too, niichan. If you didn’t stop school-“

“I don’t think so, Lambo. They were something else. Besides, I only got to study then because of dad.”

“Daddy… I wish he never left, so you would have made millions like them.”

“We can’t help it,” Basil said as he patted Lambo’s head. “Now go to sleep. We have to wake early tomorrow.”

“Thanks for telling me, Basil-niichan,” Lambo said as he tossed to his side. “Good night.”

“…Good night,” Basil wished before looking at the metal ceiling once more. Really, for Lambo to have made him talk about that. Time sure flies.

He could still remember their voices and that graduation day.

_“We’ll see each other again.”_

_“You better damn wait for us, you little nutcase!”_

Of how they never came. Or replied to his letters.

_Can’t be helped. They have their own lives now. Ten years is a long time for new opportunities and happenings to flourish. I’m no longer a part of that._

And his plastered smile never left his face as he closes his eyes.

**-X-**

It was another game of dodge ball, and as usual, he was out.

Basil stared at the cloudless blue sky as he lay by the bench, his hands on his lap. His classmates were too busy a distance away from him, getting hit and being hit by green bouncing balls.

“You can’t see anything huh?”

“Yeah, I can’t see the Dying Will Flame cloud right- WAHHHHH!!” Basil inches back the moment he sees the person to his left.

Also staring up in wonder was his orange-blond-haired classmate. He turns his head and stares at him with the same sky-colored eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Y-Y-You’re Primo Giotto-dono! W-Why aren’t you out there playing with the others?”

“I got hit,” he laughed as he pointed at his dusty bum. “Aww. I wanted to see the Dying Will Flame cloud too.”

“Ehhh?! You know KHR?!”

“KHR?”

“Katekyo Hitman Reborn! The best series ever! The people are in the Mafia and-“ Basil stopped speaking as he looks at Giotto once more, his mouth arching into a frown.

“What’s wrong? What’s KHR about?”

“Umm… Primo-dono, I don’t think you should speak to me. There are many people in class who  like you. If you’re with me, they might think you’re a nutcase too and-“

“So what? They’d stop talking to me and leave me with you?”

“Y-Yes! That’s why-“

“Then they’re not worth pleasing,” he simply rebutted. “I don’t want to be their friend anymore, then.”

“B-But Primo-dono-“

“You can knock off the Primo wishy-washy and call me Giotto,” he grins. “I want to hear about KHR. Don’t mind them.”

“U-Umm Giotto-dono… Y-You can leave me before it gets any worse for you, ok? I really don’t want you to be- you’re a really amazing person and-“

“Woah, it’s true that you’re so polite! You can just call me Giotto.”

“I-I can’t call you that! I-I’ll only tell you about KHR if I call you Giotto-dono!”

“Do what you want then, Basil-dono.”

“WAHHH! Don’t call me that!”

“Then don’t call me Giotto-dono!”

“I’ll call you Giotto-dono!”

“You’re a stubborn one, geez. Ok then, call me Giotto-dono. But when I become your best friend, call me Giotto, alright?”

“U-Umm… Thank you very much.”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it, geez. You can tell me now, right, Basil-san?”

“Ok… KHR- with an exclamation point, remember the exclamation point- KHR is a super cool story about Tsuna and Reborn, his home tutor…”

**-X-**

_Renato_ had days were few customers were present. Tuesdays and Thursdays weren’t ideal days to spend at the bar, since work was the busiest the days after. Most family gatherings were held during Tuesdays and Thursdays too, restricting the bar population to less than ten a place.

Those were the days Basil was present, though there were exemptions. Much more, he was coming in the morning, throwing the bartender off guard.

“We’re still closed, Basil. Closed, dangit!” he howled in annoyance as he cleaned up more tables.

“Yamamoto-san, you should have bothered locking the door,” Basil laughed as he inches up to the main table. Yamamoto sighs in defeat as he also moves to the door leading to the cellar.

“So what will you have?”

“Umm…do you have hot chocolate?”

It nearly broke a bone as he craned his neck to Basil’s direction, who was grinning in embarrassment.

“This is a fucking bar, you dunce! Why would you expect us to have hot chocolate- Coffee would be forgivable but hot chocolate-“

“But you have them, don’t you?” Basil said patiently.

Yamamoto nearly tore up his hair before squatting under the table and rummaging through the wares. True enough, there was a small bag of cocoa at the far reaches of the table.

“How was last night?” Yamamoto asked as he heats up milk and cuts up the chocolate.

“…Ok, I guess.”

“Good lord, you sure do never talk much.”

“Sorry,” Basil laughs. “I’m really forgetful nowadays. Lambo often says I’m getting old.”

The bartender then pours the milk into a big mug before lumping in the chocolate.

“So what brings you here this early?” he said as he serves it to his customer.

“Let’s see… who knows?” he then laughs before blowing into his drink.

“Last night must have hit you hard, huh?”

“Maybe,” he chuckles. “I’ve forgotten what happened, really.”

“I see,” Yamamoto doesn’t press on further as Basil continues sipping onto his drink. He knows it better than anyone to stop goading a person from spilling his misgivings.

“I’m… going back there later, Yamamoto-san.”

Those were the last words Basil uttered before sipping the remaining cup and handing him his bill.

**-X-**

Basil wasn’t the only early customer Yamamoto had that day. As he was ready to close down shop, the bell gently clinks a welcome tune.

“Geez, do you bastards bother reading the ‘Closed’-“ he loses words the moment his eyes lock on the supposed-bastards.

“Ehhh, well fuck you for not locking the door, you asshole-” the smaller one drawls in an unmistakable female voice, ready to pull out something from the fur coat when the taller one holds her arm before taking off his hat.

Yamamoto’s mouth runs dry as he sees the spikes in orange-gold.

“H-Holy mama banana, it’s you-“

The woman then takes off her hat to reveal the long silver locks.

“W-What are you guys doing here- of all places-“ he then stops before slapping his forehead as if he uttered something foolish. “Well, the person you’re looking for was here half an hour ago. He must be in- what the hell am I saying… you must know where he is, right?”

The man merely nods his head. The woman folds her arms and stares at him.

“You’re not as stupid as you look, Yamamoto.”

“He’s not the same person you remember, Lavina.”

The man walks forward. Yamamoto jumps at the movement and steadily backs away, mumbling that this was all a dream and he was drunk senseless. Yes, that must be it, there’s no way-

“It’s been a long time, Tsuyoshi-san.”

Yamamoto only ogled at his hand then at his finely chiseled face before nervously lifting up his hand and shaking the man’s vigorously. The man smiles. He looks down before looking away.

“What are you guys doing here? Following Basil’s tracks?”

“There is that,” he says. “And hmm… I wanted to know if you want to return back to Namimori, Tsuyoshi-san.”

Yamamoto was about to howl in surprise before Lavina knocks the other guy’s head with her right fist, her face fully flushed in anger.

“This wasn’t according to plan, Giotto!”

“Eh, sorry Lavina. That really hurt… You can say we wanted to drink before visiting Basil’s house. But then again, we didn’t know you’d be here so I thought of inviting you to Namimori, Tsuyoshi-san. Your mother died a month ago, right?”

Tsuyoshi chuckled. This was the same Giotto he remembered. Lavina was right for saying he wasn’t stupid.

“All according to plan huh, Giotto?” he says darkly before polishing two glasses. “I see you did your research. But don’t try using me to reel in Basil. He’s not the same man you remembered.”

Lavina takes a seat to Giotto’s right.

“Can’t help it. It’s been ten years since we last saw each other. I want a glass of strawberry milk!”

“I’ll have a Martini.”

“’Kay, coming right- Don’t try making me look like a fool, dangit!” And with that last remark, his two customers began to laugh.

So much that Giotto and Lavina began to talk (and argue) of what happened during those ten years. Yamamoto also began sharing stories about himself, but he chose his words carefully.

“Namimori is becoming a better place to live in compared to six years ago since you left,” Giotto droned on pleasantly. “You can open up a bar there. I’ll loan you some capital if you wish-“

“Damn, you really want me to go, don’t you?” Yamamoto coughs.

“I really do. Nana would too…”

“Wait- N-Nana’s with you? R-Right now?”

“Oh, she’s working for me at the moment. Speaking of which she often makes fun of you.”

“She likes calling you a baboon who can’t reach his back-“

“T-That little bitch- How dare she?”

“And she often crows about how she broke up with you-“

“Well excuse me, _I_ broke up with her- “

“Well excuse me too, but if that’s true then you’re one fucking-“

“Guys, it’s a thing of the past,” Giotto laughs as he takes another drink.

“Want another glass, Primo-dono?” Yamamoto says before laughing. “It feels really weird to say that…”

“Ahaha, does Basil say such things nowadays?”

“Hmm… it depends. He uses –san most of the time though.”

“He really liked acting like the Basil in the series…”

“He’s becoming more like him,” Yamamoto said as he pours Giotto another glass. “I don’t like how polite he is. I’ve been with him for six years since he moved here. He feels so distant. I only realized how affecting formal honorifics were.”

“Affected by honorifics, what a joke…” Lavina muttered as she knocks on the table for another bottle.

“No, Tsuyoshi-san’s right. That’s why I’m glad we don’t get to use honorifics much at work. It creates an invisible wall.”

“So… you’re a councilor in Namimori. You must’ve done a lot and want to brag about it once I return there, huh?”

“It’s not like that…” Giotto laughs nervously. “I barely left a dent in changing Namimori to a much better place than our forefathers remember.”

“What is so special about Namimori? You became the youngest councilor in history. You could’ve run for Congress or went into a decent law firm-“

“It’s bad to underestimate the town you were born in, Tsuyoshi-san,” Giotto says as he absent-mindedly swirls his glass.

“It feels off for the likes of you two. You’re better off somewhere else and yet-“

“I want to change the small things first. I don’t plan on running for Congress or the Senate in the future, Tsuyoshi-san. After I finish my terms as mayor, I intend to found a small law firm in Namimori and then retire peacefully,” he says as he sips through his sixth round of Martini.

“W-What about Lavina-“

“I’ll go to wherever this idiot goes, I guess. I don’t have any big ambitions as he does,” Lavina shrugs.

“You must be thinking, ‘It’s a shame’, right Tsuyoshi-san? We could go further, aim higher.” Giotto says quietly, swirling his glass some more. “Then wonder what Basil must have gone through since Iemitsu-san died eleven years ago. We want to change that, Tsuyoshi-san. As we want to change yours.”

“Talk to Basil first,” Yamamoto scoffs. “And you’ll have my answer if I want to go or not.”

“Does it pain you that much, Tsuyoshi-san?”

“You can’t sway me with words, Giotto,” Tsuyoshi’s eyes narrow. “As a Mafiosi, show me how you can sway that man. Who knows? Maybe I’ll come with you and put up with Nana.”

Giotto says nothing as he drinks the remnants of the Martini and stands up. Lavina gulps her milk and also dons her coat. Both turn towards the door.

“I’m warning you, Giotto,” Yamamoto says. Giotto stops in his tracks. “In all the six years he comes here, I’ve never heard him mention ‘Namimori’ or ‘Reborn.’ He doesn’t like dwelling on his past. The last thing he needs are his two ex-best friends giving him a rain check.”

“…I’m not afraid, Tsuyoshi-san,” Giotto merely utters and turns his head, grinning broadly. “He must have prepared for this day.” He then goes on ahead.

Lavina also stops but stares on ahead, seeing Giotto fumble through his car keys. “Don’t worry, Yamamoto. We have no intention of breaking Basil. Our reason’s quite simple actually.”

And after she utters the next four words, she closes the door.

**-X-**

It was at lunch break in Basil’s second job when his phone began vibrating violently. At the green fluorescent screen, it eased him a bit as he went outside.

“Basil-kun! Hurry up here! You’re gonna miss the good part-“ Nosaru said as he pointed at their black and white screen excitedly. The others shout in assent.

“A friend’s calling, sorry everyone,” he says as he runs just outside near the site. He waves at two co-workers who were playing chess during their watch as he runs to the back of the building.

“Hello, Yamamoto-san! What made you call?” he beamed, wondering whether Yamamoto returned to his place then.

_“Giotto and Lavina are looking for you.”_

“Oh.” his beam disappears. Now, he was looking up at the sky. It was cloudy. A drizzle was brewing. He should be dismissed early.

_“They want you to go to Namimori with them. Wellll, they want me to go too and set up a bar there, ahahaha-“_

“That’s good, Yamamoto-san.” That place struck a chord. Of course it did. Basil’s vision began to cloud as a drop falls to his cheek.

“Basil-san! It’s gonna rain!” His two companions were looking for him.

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” Basil shouts before locking his ears at the receiver. “You should go with them. You wanted to have your own bar, didn’t you?”

_“Didn’t you hear what I said? They want **you** to come with them.”_

“I’m not deaf, Yamamoto-san. I heard you the first time.”

_“E-Eh, you sound really scary, Basil-“_

“Ah… I’m sorry. Umm, Yamamoto-san, can you do me a favor? Can you pick up Lambo and Fuuta after their classes? Can they sleep with you just for tonight?”

“ _S-Sure_.”

“Did you see any men with them?”

_“N-no. Holy crap, so you know they’re-“_

“The instant I heard Lavina-dono’s name I knew immediately Giotto-dono’s working for the _Cavallone famiglia._ I expected Giotto-dono would only have Lavina-dono with him. He hasn’t changed one bit.”

_“A-Are you going to sleep here too?”_

Basil beamed again. “No. I intend to listen to what they’re going to say.”

_“You haven’t changed as much as I thought. You’re still as stubborn as ever,”_ Yamamoto roared with laughter over the phone. _“Ok, good luck then, Basil. I’ll pick them up now.”_

“I owe you much thanks, Yamamoto-san.”

It was drizzling harder now. Basil dashes along with the others to their small quarters.

“Looks like we get an early dismissal, Basil-kun,” said one co-worker.

“Ah… yes.” Basil couldn’t force himself to smile.

“What’s wrong? Did something bad happen?”

“I can’t call it bad. My old friends just came to town to visit. I don’t know how to approach them.”

“You should go meet them then,” one nudges at him as his phone vibrates. He bites his lip as he sees the message and taps a co-worker. “Can I borrow an umbrella, Tazaru-san? I’ll return it tomorrow.”

“He has to meet up with his old friends,” one of his fellows remark.

“Sure, sure,” waves off Tazaru, a man with greying hair and kind eyes. “Come to think of it you never told us about- Oi!!” He wasn’t able to finish his sentence, for Basil was rushing past the downpour with a battered blue umbrella, his cellphone seemingly holding onto his hand for dear life. The message in green was still there. Yamamoto already replied that he was too late.

**-X-**

“Something wrong, Giotto-nii?” Fuuta inquired, turning his head to Giotto’s direction. His neck had been craning at the left side of the window pane. Outside, the rain was at its hardest. The driver in front was doing her utmost care to slow the pace.

“Ah. Sorry, your street just reminds me so much of your neighborhood in Namimori,” he said as the car continued cruising through the wetness of the road. Outside, he can see many children playing at the rain and some old men drinking or playing mahjong.

“I really don’t remember much about Namimori,” Fuuta said as he looks at the pandemonium outside. “We left just a month after graduation. Basil-nii was in a hurry…”

“Thank you for picking us up, Giotto-nii and Lavina-nee!” Lambo said earnestly beside Giotto.

“Don’t get too familiar with me, little shit,” Lavina growled in front. “Make sure you give us piping hot tea when we drop you off at your place, ayt?”

“Lavina, you’re almost 24. Shouldn’t you know when to stop calling children that?” Giotto said in exasperation.

“Since when were they kids?” Lavina shot back. “The bastards are already in high school. Were you deaf?”

“Umm… Basil-niichan talked about you too,” Lambo says thoughtfully. “He never said Lavina-nee would be this… uhm, nevermind.”

“Say that again, you cunt!” the woman immediately procured up her Gloc-9 and nearly pointed it at Lambo when Giotto grabs it from her.

“Goodness, Lavina don’t try aiming that at children-“

“He clearly wanted to say something piss-worthy, Giotto. Let me take that-“

“No- why do you get so- ah- Lavina- why do you hate kids so much-“

“I- don’t- now- give me- that- fucking- gun-!!”

Both then shout in surprise as the driver pries the gun from their hands and slams it at the dashboard.

“Pretending we’re children, aren’t we?” was the driver’s reply as they turn round a corner. “Wonder what Basil-san would say when he sees you two like this.”

“I’m sure Basil-niichan would be smiling really brightly again,” says Lambo ecstatically. Lavina looks at Giotto uneasily before folding her arms and resting at her seat again.

“Oh, Lambo’s just being melodramatic again,” assures Fuuta. “We’re almost here, Nana-san. You can park that car inside our place. It’s pretty big. Umm, yes, my brother treats us really nicely. It makes me feel really bad we can’t be of much help to him…”

“And niichan often goes to that awful place when we made him promise to go less often!”

“Awful place?” Giotto asks.

The car turns to a muddy outpost, where a large box of painted metal resided at the back. The empty space had a car residing in it.

“Oh, Yamamoto-san’s here!” Lambo squeals in delight, forgetting to answer Giotto as he braves to rain to run to the front door. He knocks, trembling in excitement.

“Nana-san, you can park by the edge of the road instead,” Fuuta says.

“How awful is that place Lambo mentioned, Fuuta?” Giotto asks.

“We found out about it when Basil-nii was rushed to the hospital years ago. He gets less and less injured though, thanks to Byakuran-san. Umm, Giotto-san, I think you should ask Basil-nii about it… I doubt he’d let me tell you.”

“Byakuran…” Giotto nods at Nana the moment Fuuta steps outside and follows Lambo.

“Your hunch was right, Giotto,” Lavina said as she returns her gun to her holster. “Everything’s going according to plan.”

“You mollify me too much,” Giotto says as he opens the door. “Nana, call me once you find out information about him. Lavina, come.”

“Better than seeing that baboon,” Nana yawns, immediately driving away after Lavina slams her door shut and opens Giotto an umbrella.

“Eeehhh Nana-san’s not coming?” Lambo looks at the black Mercedes rather wistfully.

“Something came up at work. She’ll take it for me and Lavina,” Giotto smiles assuringly.

The door opens, and the receiver was immediately greeted by Fuuta and Lambo.

“Basil-nii!”

“Niichan!”

Giotto could no longer contain his smile. He desperately needed to embrace this man. Lavina could only grin widely, a knuckle finding her hip as she looks at him from head-to-foot.

“Can we come in?” he can only ask. His hair was now shorter. He can now see both his eyes of crystal blue. He was unsure who between them towered over the other.

Here was his close friend, whom he hasn’t seen in ten years.

And he was just a door away.

**-X-**

“Aww,” Lavina groaned as she stretched her legs further. The grey clouds refused to dissipate after four hours since they sat outside the glass veranda of her home. “We won’t get to see the sunset. No thanks to that stupid old lady’s forecast. She said it was gonna be sunny, that fucking-“

“Umm, Lavina-dono, your bloomers are showing-“

“Basil’s right. Shouldn’t you be wearing your pajamas-“

“Yeah that’s right. Yeah,” she says indignantly as she raises her skirt more, to Basil’s bewilderment. He averts his gaze. “At least I’m not showing my panties (since it’s my period today)-“

“Do you really need to tell us that, goodness Lavina-“

She proceeds to wack them in the head and the three have an argument for the degree of skin to be present when the three of them were hanging out.

“So why the sudden request for a sleepover?” she nudges at Basil. “Are your brothers fine?”

“They’ll be ok. Auntie Iris came to watch over them. Thank you for worrying. Lavina-dono is really kind,” Basil smiled.

Lavina turned scarlet and turns away. “What the fuck man, I can be soft too!” She raises her hand to whack Basil but turns halfway. “Uh… are they okay? It’s only been two days since the burial, right?”

“It’s ok. They’re too young to understand… They’re fine, Lavina-dono.”

“So why a sleepover out of the blue?” Giotto nudges.

Basil rummages through his pocket. “Umm, can I ask you guys to close your eyes?”

“Why do I feel this will go really cheesy…” Lavina mumbles as she closes her eyes. Giotto follows suit.

She could only hear a tinkling sound as she feels something cold encircle her neck. _I knew it. What should I do? Should I look surprised? I mean this dude just lost his old man more than a week ago- holy shit-_

“You can open your eyes now!” he sang out, making Lavina cry in rage as she lets her eyes take everything in again and-

“Really…” Lavina can only say as she also spies the same thing dangling on Basil’s neck also present in hers. Giotto also turns at her direction and gives her a small smile. “Why the fuck is Giotto’s different from ours?!” she says as she sends a whack at Giotto. Indeed, his had a blue Swarovski-like gem nestled in the middle of the ring dangling on his metal chain.

“Ehehe, because he’s the Sky Guardian!” Basil insists. “I’m a Rain Guardian and you’re the Storm Guardian-“

“What the fuck are you saying- and why did you give us these…” she stops speaking as Basil merely grins at her.

“They’re from my collection,” he said. “They’re not in best shape, but I hope you like them. Maybe one day we can find users for the Rain, Thunder, Sun, and Cloud Guardians-“

She turns to Giotto’s direction, who was attentively hanging onto to Basil’s every word. _This guy’s honestly listening to this idiot-_

“I’m not really that rich… Umm, I wanted to give you guys good gifts but the royalties my father has isn’t available until I’m eighteen so... umm, these are the only things I can give to thank you. I’m sorry!”

“Seriously…” she could only utter as she turns away. Basil was tearing up.

“Thank you for, umm, being there. Lavina-dono, I know we’re barely friends and you had to go to the trouble for making Giotto and me stay-“

“It’s fine, really-“ she turns to Basil, who was hastily wiping his eyes.

“I-I’m sorry f-for crying, hahaha,” he says, laughing in a way that made Lavina cringe. “I’m j-just r-relieved. Grateful... H-Happy… I-I can’t think of any words to say s-sorry.”

“It’s a really swell ring, now that I look at it,” Lavina said as she tries wearing it, but the chain gets in the way. “Stupid chain, fu-“ she stops her swear midway and bangs her head at the wall she was leaning in. “Thanks. And seriously, I should be saying sorry. I gave you a hard time before this…”

“Thank you, Basil,” Giotto said, already wearing the ring with a smug expression on his face that made Lavina whack him.

“What the fuck-“ she yelled, making Basil laugh.

“Lavina-dono, welcome to our circle!” he says enthusiastically.

“S-Since when did I ask to be friends with _this_ guy-“ she thumbs at Giotto, who was then already putting his left arm on hers.

“Welcome home,” Giotto says quietly. Lavina merely looks at Basil, who was still full of snot which was dribbling to his teeth.

“T-The hell, wipe that off you creepy little shit-“

**-X-**

The supposed ‘Storm Ring’ in her left seemed to be tingling the more she looked at this man they called Basil.

“Come in, I cooked some snacks with Tsuyoshi-san,” he greets them and opens the door much widely. His voice was deeper than the girly little shit she heard back there in Namimori.

“What’s wrong, Lavina-nee? Giotto-nii?” asked Fuuta. Lambo has already charged in ten seconds ago.

“Sorry about that,” Giotto says quickly and takes off his shoes before going inside. Lavina follows suit, unable to lock her gaze at Basil as he closes the door.

She sits beside Giotto, who was adjacent to a Tsuyoshi serving hot onion soup. The two teens sit beside Lavina. Lambo then offers to tie her hair.

“Uh… do whatever you want,” she says as she looks at the feet of their host, who was coming back with buttered bread. His pants were damp.

“You guys beat us to picking up these two kiddos here,” said Tsuyoshi. “Come to think of it, how did you guys know where they go to?”

_Damn you._ Lavina thought. _This asshole sure knows how to kill the mood._

“We asked around,” Giotto answered without much thought. “And we didn’t know where Basil lived, so better to know from the two.”

“Done!” said Lambo. “You look extra pretty now, Lavina-neechan!”

“There’s tea in the thermos,” said Basil, pointing at the white cylindrical contraption by Giotto’s side. She looks at the empty green mug with a ladybug print in front of her.

“Thank you,” Giotto says.

“Basil-niichan, we rode in Giotto-niichan’s Mercedes! I’m gonna tell my classmates tomorrow!”

“They were using the S65 AMG Coupe one. The latest model!”

“Did you say thank you?”

“Duh! We’re not kids anymore,” retorts Lambo. “Right, Fuuta-niichan?”

“Can we ride with you tomorrow too, Giotto-nii?” said Fuuta brightly. “So our classmates will know we’re telling the truth.”

“Of course,” says Giotto. The two squealed in delight as they tackled him. He merely laughs at their response.

Lavina now stared at Basil. He was steadily looking at them, a smile embedded on his face. But there was something eerily strange about it that boggled the hell out of her. She didn’t know why it made her uneasy.

“Giotto-nii, what made you come to visit us?” was the innocent question that she dreaded hearing. Immediately, she awaits how Basil will react.

“We really, really, really want to see your brother. We’ve been MIA for ten years now, putting our own selves before his sake. We sincerely want to apologize.”

He lets his nose kiss the floor as he bows in all fours. She follows suit.

“We also want him- and you two- and Tsuyoshi san- to come to Namimori with us.”

An earsplitting silence resounded to and fro the metal walls. Giotto and Lavina remained in their positions. She was unable to look at the person she was directly bowing to.

“Lambo, we should go upstairs,” she heard Fuuta say and a violent bumping sound as Lambo tries resisting.

“Fuuta’s right.” She freezes as she hears Basil’s eerie tone. “We want to discuss this with ourselves.”

“I-I’ll go with these two,” Tsuyoshi said quickly. She hears once more the clang of china and the cacophony of feet quickly disappearing. Then there was a quick slam of a door.

“You two can raise your heads now. That was really unnecessary,” he says in a small voice, his laugh also coated in embarrassment.

She lets Giotto first rise and sit in front before doing so. There was that smile still present in Basil’s face. He had been wearing that expression since they came in.

“Was the soup any good?” he asks. Lavina looks at the dirty white concoction. She hasn’t tasted it at all. She takes a sip and nearly retches, but tries letting the contents rest inside her stomach.

“Nope, it was terrible,” is Giotto’s unpolished reply and makes Lavina whack him in the head.

_What were you thinking, you dumb blondie- you don’t talk like that!_ she mouths, turning at Basil, who was already putting his fist before his lips, resisting the urge to laugh.

“He told the truth, Lavina-dono,” he says, snorting. “I’m sorry for making you swallow that amount.”

“Yes, thank you Lavina,” Giotto sings out, making Lavina hit his shoulder again.

“And I thought you tasted it…” she mutters. _This bastard was testing us, the fucking nerve-_

She looks at him again uneasily. _So that was the feeling I had. This idiot really doesn’t trust us._ She turns at Giotto, who was rubbing his shoulder and laughing with Basil. _Giotto should’ve told me-!_

“I wonder if you said the truth too with your invitation. Pathos doesn’t suit the two of you Mafia dogs.”

Lavina bit her lip as she turns at Giotto, whose expression did not waver a bit. _Giotto was right._

“How much do you know about us, Basil?” Giotto asks.

“Let’s see… that the two of you are working under the _Cavallone_ , the same family my father was in before he defected,” he said. There was a touch of contempt in there she managed to pin down. Her eyes darkened as she continued looking at this mass of a human that pretended to be Basil. She no longer saw anything that reminded her of the snotty kid she remembered. “You’re his Right Hand, aren’t you Giotto-dono? Does he wish to recruit me? Do you aim to reel me in by giving me father’s back story, when all 10 years of my life since his death I have pored into clippings, theories, gossip, _anything_ about my father. And did you know what I found? That every one of his friends are long dead, except the boss of the _Cavallone_. Either their existence was masked, or they were incarcerated and killed there. I have wondered as well, why we still didn’t get killed when we resided here for eight years since Auntie Iris died… So let me ask, what is the real reason why you want us to come to Namimori?”

She was dumbfounded and averts her gaze from him. He said it all with a voice not raising a pitch. How long had he practiced, waited, dreaded for this moment to come? How long did he prepare to utter those words- those silent accusations- of how he waited all this time for them to come and give him a half-baked reason for them to rebuild their friendship. She wanted to laugh at herself now. They weren’t there when he needed them the most.

_“Iemitsu-san asked me to be there for Basil when he stops believing in the things his father told him. Honestly, I’m not strong enough to do it alone, Lavina-san. Can I ask for your help?”_ Giotto once said to her the night Basil gave them their rings. She looks at the man she had been following for so long and who intended to keep his promise. How can he give an answer to this man, a shadow of the friend they left in Namimori once upon a time?

“Before I give an answer, can I ask a question, Basil-dono?” Giotto says finally, the smile leaving his face as he continues looking at Basil, who was wearing the same blank look. “Do you still believe the things your father told you?”

“I’ll also answer your real question, Giotto-dono,” he replies without moving an inch. “I’ve abhorred my father the moment I learned what kind of man he was.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lavina’s partner replies. “Really, I am.”

“You worry too much, Giotto-dono. I’ve long cut ties with him,” Basil says quietly. “I’m sure you can relate.”

For a fraction of a moment, Lavina sees Giotto twitch a little.

“To a degree, I do,” he says. “I’m afraid… you’ll hate the answer- no, the bait- I’ll give you. It involves your father and the Mafia. We want to provide you answers. I’m sure you have guessed this, but your father did not just die from overdose. He was murdered.”

“Another mystery novel case scenario,” Basil tittered a little.

“And we think it has to do with the KHR series he created. We’re here-“

“I think I’ve heard enough, Giotto-dono. Lavina-dono. You can take your leave now. I refuse.”

“Giotto has worked hard to get this piece of info! Listen to him!” she stood up, unable to keep her silence.

“You can lower your voice now, Lavina-dono. I refused your offer, if that’s what your narrow-minded brain failed to comprehend-“

She raises her pistol and aimed it at his temple, making him stop talking in his tracks.

“You’re not Basil. How dare you fucking replace him?” she says stiffly.

“People change, Lavina-san. You stuck with Giotto, and you were unable to be something more. I’m glad I broke free from the circle first. I now know how not to be fooled by the likes of you.”

“You’re a coward, you son of a bitch,” Lavina says as she furiously presses her gun at him.

“Oh how those words ring true,” he said sardonically. “Please leave. I do not want to mention personal information that can hurt you. I’m sorry for speaking like this. So please leave.”

She continues pressing it further, but he refuses to budge. She turns away and returns her pistol to the holsters of her coat.

“I’m done hating you. I pity what you’ve become,” Lavina said as she takes the lead to the door and lets her left hand encircle the doorknob. She looks at the only ring resting there. “Giotto, let’s go.”

“Ok.”

Giotto’s reply makes her jaw drop. “A-Are you s-seriously following me?”

“I am, let’s go outside. It stopped raining,” Giotto said.

Lavina shot one last look at Basil, who was already sitting down and sipping his tea.

“Basil,” Giotto said. “We’ll be staying outside to wait for you to change your mind.”

“Feel free,” Basil smiled. “I can guarantee that I won’t yield.”

That was enough for Lavina to face palm as Giotto closes the door.

“You didn’t stick to the plan again, Giotto. Now we’re out here, camping for who-knows-when.”

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing,” he says as they both sit outside the front porch.

Lavina smiles. “I know. That’s why I stayed.”

He then takes his cellphone and begins to dial a number. “Let’s ask Nana-san to bring us sleeping bags and extra snacks. Thank goodness Dino gave us a week off…”

**-X-**

The three continue pressing their ears expectantly at the door.

“Wah, Basil-nii sounds really scary,” Fuuta half-whispers. Lambo now runs to their only dingy window and presses his nose by it.

“Wait, Giotto-niichan and Lavina-neechan are-“

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence when they heard Basil’s unmistakable smart rapping by the door. Tsuyoshi and Fuuta immediately tumble back in surprise.

“Can I come in?” Basil asks. “There’s still soup back in the pot.”

The three look at each other for a moment, unsure whether the host knew of their eavesdropping before opening the door to see Basil with arms folded and a matter-of-fact expression present on his face.

“Giotto-niichan and Lavina-neechan are outside,” cites Lambo.

“They won’t be for long. It’s the start of the rainy season,” says Basil. “Let’s go finish the rest.”

“Umm, is the soup really that bad?” asks Fuuta sheepishly as the three slowly follow Basil back to the dining table.

He laughs. “I made sure the guests’ were. It’s been a long while since I’ve played a prank on anyone. I’ll go get some tea,” he then adds as he goes to the kitchen.

“Basil-nii, actually we overheard you-”

“You shouldn’t be saying that, you stupid kid!” Tsuyoshi says immediately as he tries putting his hand over the culprit and half-wrestles him.

“Ahh, I know. It’s a normal thing to do,” the eldest sibling titters, now pouring hot tea onto their empty mugs.

“Basil-niichan…” Lambo says, absentmindedly looking at the two empty seats to his left. “I feel bad. I thought Lavina-neechan and Giotto-niichan… you said they were… well, they weren’t what I imagined them to be…”

“They haven’t changed much,” adds Basil thoughtfully. “They still look as scatterbrained as ever.”

“Wah, and they’re in the Mafia too!” exclaims the youngest. “Isn’t it so cool? Just like TYL Tsuna…”

Basil says nothing as he drank his tea further.

“Eh? Niichan you don’t think it’s cool?” expands Lambo, peering at Basil expectantly.

“Were you enamored by the things they showed you?” he then says.

A cold silence follows. Tsuyoshi looked at Basil, whose eyes remained fixed at his bowl. Fuuta also says nothing as he quickly poured himself a new cup.

Lambo didn’t immediately catch on and nodded at Basil’s words.

“They looked really cool! I mean, they had really good cars, and Lavina-neechan was carrying a gun-“

“You think so? What did they tell you?” asks Basil, his voice void of emotion. Tsuyoshi by then noticed his trembling legs.

“They’re travelling a lot for their missions. And- and- Giotto-niichan- he said we can ride his yacht sometime! He said he’ll help us find a good one too, when we’re rich…”

“Lambo-kun, I think-“ Tsuyoshi has placed his hand onto Basil’s arm, who was now also shaking violently. _Don’t lose your cool here man. He’s just a kid-_

“Giotto-niichan seems like a good person,” Lambo concluded. “It might be… I think it might be the best if we came to Namimori with him. Maybe… Maybe then, you won’t need to get yourself hurt anymore. Maybe you can start studying again.”

“He’s a liar.”

Tsuyoshi immediately looked at Basil. There was an expression of subtle contempt etching on his face. It surprised him. Never, ever, even in junior high had he seen Basil’s eyes pierce through anyone like that, moreso to his youngest brother.

“He has always been a liar, Lambo-kun. It took your brother ten full years to realize that.”

Tsuyoshi gripped Basil’s arm tighter. _Stop, you bastard. You shouldn’t be talking more about this. He’s your brother, for Pete’s sake-_

“Ah, you’re right, brother. Giotto-niichan lied earlier,” says Lambo, pointing at the bowls in front.

Tsuyoshi freezes as he looks at Giotto’s. He couldn’t look at Basil.

But he felt his friend’s arm shaking much worse.

**-X-**

“Yo, Tsuyoshi-san!” Giotto greeted in good spirits as Tsuyoshi closes the door five hours later. He notices the black sleeping bags covering the two as they lay near the porch like cornered cocoons. “Fancy a drink? We have gin here. To, you know, make sure we don’t freeze through the night.”

Indeed, it was a bad night. The sheer coldness of the whipping rain was present in their wet sleeping bags. Lavina was already pouring herself another round as she muttered curses under her breath.

“So you were serious,” Tsuyoshi sighs. “And you chose a wrong time to camp out with Lavina. Its monsoon season on these parts.”

“Like I have a choice,” the female grunts. “I have to make sure this asshole doesn’t catch a cold-“

Giotto sneezes his mouthful of gin at her face.

“F-F-Fuck-“ Lavina wasn’t able to finish her sentence from whacking the culprit.

“Wonder how you two didn’t get on your Boss’ nerves,” Tsuyoshi says exasperatedly.

“They were quick to hire us when we applied,” Giotto said after the hiccup. “I wish Lavina wasn’t hired though. She wouldn’t stop acting like a kid-“

“Says the guy who sleeps with his teddy bear,” defends Lavina as she takes a jab at his arm.

“Meet Mitty!” he sings out, unzipping his sleeping bag to show a tiny yellow dragon with orange wings. “Neesan gave him to me after I graduated college. She still couldn’t believe I was eighteen already…”

“Shut the fuck up, you’re embarrassing me…” Lavina hisses as she turns away from Giotto, further zipping herself in her cocoon.

Tsuyoshi snorts as he sees the two continuing to argue about the things they couldn’t let go of even when they were already twenty-four. He quickly remembers why he paused to give them a rain check.

“Call me stupid, but I think Basil will go to Namimori with you two,” he says as he twirls his car keys.

“-excuse me… uh, who was the one who brought her blanket to her finals-“

“Dude, I was fucking scared of failing that exam! I didn’t want to fucking retake biochemistry! God, what about the time when you-“

A vein throbbed on Tsuyoshi’s temple. So these guys were really going to continue bickering when he was finally being sentimental…

“Umm, guys-“

“And who was cradling Mr. Munchkin and crying all over me when Elena-san rejected you? What the fuck man, that was so fucking hilarious-“

“Uh, you were the one who gave Mr. Munchkin to me, and Mr. Wiggly-Poo and Miss-Elepantyhose-“

“FUCK YOU-“

“WHAT THE FUCK GUYS!” Tsuyoshi finally landed a kick on the two and sent them sprawling in their sleeping bags. He then quickly looked at the window were the two kids were slumbering.  So far, he still continued hearing Lambo’s loud snores.

“Sorry about that, Tsuyoshi-shan-“ Giotto hiccupped. Yamamoto groaned as he hoisted the two up (and got a bite from Lavina, who hissed that he touched her boob). “What were you saying?”

Tsuyoshi continued looking at Giotto’s red face and Lavina’s snot (because apparently she also caught a cold) for a few more seconds.

“Just spit it out, man-“

And Tsuyoshi began chuckling as he turns his head to the rainy night. Maybe it was from their intoxicated faces, or maybe it’s at his own foolishness, believing, hoping, trusting, that maybe this was for the best.

He smiles and turns at the two, who then looked at each other in bewilderment before giving Tsuyoshi a judgmental sort of look.

“Your bowl was empty, Giotto,” he just said as he then walks to his car, not minding the downpour already attacking him as he goes inside. He can raise his questions next time. Give them snide comments at their sudden entrance to his friend’s life another day.

He closes the door and starts his car. He looks back and sees Giotto waving at him wildly. He could only look back and remember the bowl in the kitchen, dropless and clean of any onion.

_You’re one lucky bastard, Basil._ He says to himself as he disappears into the night.

**-X-**

Giotto could only make out the dim lights of Yamamoto’s car as he drives out of sight.

“This only leaves us two to guard the tots tonight,” Lavina remarks. He hears her burrow more inside her sleeping bag. “Wonder when Basil would come back… He left ahead of that Yamamoto.”

Giotto could only look at the light, already brimming with small insects and one condescending brown moth.

“I’m sure he went back to that ‘awful place’ Lambo-kun and Fuuta-kun talked about.”

“You have that stupid grin on your face again.”

“Ah, I’m just happy to know Tsuyoshi-san trusts us. It feels good to know when- AH- AH-“

His partner immediately hands him a damp white handkerchief, to where he gratefully hides his nose into.

“You know, Lavina, I was never a fan of fancy hotels or yacht trips. Nights camping out like this feel the best.”

“Wonder if the gin and that moth made you kinda loony,” she sniffs. “Does the light really hypnotize you that well? Maybe it will make me less cold too. Come on, light do your best to make me high-“

“That was utterly idiotic,” Giotto laughs. “I’m looking at the light because there’s nothing else to look at outside. It keeps me sane.”

“You’re still as weird as ever.”

Giotto’s phone beeped. He looked at the message, smiled, and stared at the white infested bulb again again.

“So what did the boss say?”

He gave him her phone. “Dino’s a real ass sometimes, giving us indirect orders. Looks like it’s goodbye, one week vacation.”

“In just two words,” Lavina groaned as she stared at the text on the screen.

_Timoteo’s back._

**-X-**

Nana waited another minute inside her car before she got the call she was waiting for.

“It’s ready Nana-san,” she heard the wheezy voice of her colleague over the phone.

“Is it safe to go outside?” she asked, peering at the cars making their way inside a big, blue-painted warehouse (based on the headlights) just two yards from her lot.

“You have a raincoat?” her contact asked in a muffled voice. She could hear roars and cheers around him.

“God, what’s happening in there?” she says, annoyed as she tries scrummaging at the back seat for one of Giotto’s trench coats. _Stupid weather forecast. Telling us it won’t rain tonight. I’m so gonna report this on Giotto to replace your top dog-_ She hastily puts a black one on. “I’ll manage with an umbrella.” Sure enough, she manages to seize one under the seat.

“They’re placing their bets. The target already disappeared.”

“Sure, sure. Listen Aoba, did you really manage to plant them all?”

“Yeah. You can check it later after your target’s over. Listen, gotta go. I’m betting for the next one. Call me if you have any problems.”

“Like I have enough load to. I have to make another call. Bye.”

Nana opens the door and swears loudly as her hands get drenched. She forces her umbrella open and starts walking, locking the door as she does. She dials a number and presses it to her left ear.

“Evening, Nana-san,” she hears Giotto’s calm voice. She turns and moves to her left as a car speeds fast and nearly ruins her employer’s coat.

“I got the dig on your BFF’s chum and his current whereabouts,” she says after a pause. “Byakuran’s a dangerous guy. He’s the most wanted man in the country currently in Xan-Xan, and no one’s aware of it because of his many aliases. He’s a serial murderer slash hitman. Been involved in many post-MW assassinations… he used to work for the government but went AWOL because- to put it simply- they were a dick to him.”

“Elaborate?”

“His last mission was to kill his foster family because of their connections to some underground anti-law enforcement. He didn’t take it lightly.”

“So he killed them?”

“To put it simply he annihilated them. Wiped out their existence. Trust me, he’s the guy you want-“

“I can’t have him, Nana-san.”

“You can easily have him under your command. He has a high IQ. I’m sure-“

“All the more not to have him Nana-san.”

“I really don’t get your logic at all, Giotto. I mean I _do_ not get it, but you tend to get the best of the best-”

“If I make a personal appearance there, maybe I can ask him to go. But I don’t want to. It’s past 10 PM.”

“You’re the only Right hand I know who sleeps early,” Nana says through gritted teeth. She was inside, and all she sees inside the hollow metal abode were cars and motorcycles. In front of her was a big yellow door. “Gotta go. Don’t wanna ruin your beauty sleep.”

“Sorry Nana-san. I know he’s your ideal guy, but I can’t trust his methods. He might turn against us too.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Even if I beg, you’re always a stubborn mule,” Nana frowned. “Now hang up. I’m working here.”  When she hears the sound of static she immediately turns off the phone and places it at the front pocket of her bulky bag pack.

“Invitation,” she hears the gruff voice inside half-ask, half-threaten her once she approached the only entrance that composed of a slab of iron.

“Meow,” Nana almost says in annoyance. The door opens, air blowing past her. The burly man inched towards her, arms folded and irked.

“You’re a new one here,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

“I got an invitation from Koyo,” she yawns. “Here,” she tosses him a role of one hundred _bundats_.

The man caught it but kept his milky eyes at Nana and then smiles, showing yellowing teeth and one fake one (because it was white).

“Go through the right door,” the man said as he pockets the bills.

She swiftly walks and pins her hair up. The place was dark, but she couldn’t mistake the faint outline of the same metal slab. As she approached, she heard another gruff voice, though softer this time, calling the shots.

“Place your bets.” Instantly, a digital projection shows in the slab, rendering Nana speechless as she sees one of the pictures shown.

_So this is what you’re doing part time eh, Basilicum_? She thinks with a smirk.

“I’m just betting on the weak-looking guy at the lower right before the main event,” she says as she eyes the man below Basil’s picture, the only smiling guy in the roster.

_How did Basil stumble here?_

The slab opens, and out pops a woman with a pink pixie cut and the same hued translucent sunglasses.

“Why only him, not Byakuran?” she points at the picture Nana was looking at.

“What can I say, I spent ten thousand bucks bribing your friend over there,” Nana shrugs. “And I love underdogs.”

“Kaoru’s right. You _are_ new here,” the girl grins. Her teeth reminded her of a shark’s. “Name’s Shitopi. Follow me.”

The door opens for a second time, and Nana had to cover her ears, not ready for the cacophony of cheers and jeers. Shitopi just beckoned her forward, and soon they were wading in a sea of testosterone and adrenaline.

“Want the best seat in the house?” she yelled amidst the noise. Nana could give her a nod and a look of admiration. _I’m definitely going to dig dirt about this woman. Remember to put that in your to-do-list, Nana._ Sure enough, after ten minutes they finally ascended the stairs, and up where burly guards were continuously pushing the others away. Shitopi shouted in one of their ears. “This woman gave Kaoru a huge tip. Let’s corner that asshole later.” The man laughs and beckons them inside.

A bespectacled man waited for them. The place had pink lights dotting the walls. Plush couches encircled the place. A big screen was at the top against the glass surrounding them, showcasing the current event going on below.

“Champagne, ma’am?” The waiters asked. Nana waved it off and embraced the man.

“Yo, Aoba. Where are the other guests? I saw lots of cars outside.”

“VIP spots are reserved for the VIP’s. And most station at ringside to ensure their bets were right.”

“I’ll be taking my leave now,” Shitopi bows and exits. “Koyo, make sure our guest is comfortable here.”

“Whatever, I get dibs at 1K from Kaoru,” he hollers as the door seals itself, leaving them in complete silence. Nana jumps at the quiet, with the exemption of the screen inside.

“So you work here?” she asks quietly.

“Ever since our boss kicked the bucket fourteen years ago we had to fight for scraps to live. We try to get by the best we can.”

“How much do you earn a night?”

“I get 10K at the minimum. On good days like this one I get 30K.”

“Hmmm,” Nana folds her arms and looks at the square just ten feet down. She can make out two shirtless men punching their lights out. “So how much do those guys earn below?”

“15K, if they win. But we shed off a couple of bucks, for medics and the like.”

“So how much do they get to take home?”

“About 9K if they’re lucky. So the guys fight twice a night at the minimum to at least get by.”

“How’s this Basilicum I’m betting for? Is he any good?”

“You made the right choice to place your money on him,” says someone good-naturedly behind her. Suddenly, her skin crawls and her nerves force herself from giving the usual reflex of looking behind her. Her gut was telling her this man was dangerous.

“Nana, this is Byakuran. Byakuran, Nana.”

At Aoba’s nudge, she turns and forces a smile, shaking his hand despite her sweaty palms. By the handshake, she could feel his power. _Fuck you, Aoba. To hell with the mission, this man might kill me if he finds out who I’m working for._

“Aoba told me a great deal about you, Nana-chan,” he says, still smiling as he now walks beside her, looking at the screen. She stole a glare at her contact before looking at the ring. _This guy knows. Shit._ “Don’t worry your pretty little mind. I trained Basil myself. He’ll get those bills for you back.”

She heard a hiss as he uttered the ‘b’ word.

“And he told me a lot about you,” Nana said, thrusting her hands into her waist to get her gun.

“Naturally,” Byakuran chuckled. “But that was all in the past. I have no intention of going down that road again.”

“That’s why you’re here?” Nana snorts.

“Maybe. I can’t stand the thought of working for the government. My family needs me,” he said.

“And you stayed here because…”

“I found a rare talent. A needle in a haystack. A diamond in the rough… whatever you call it. And I honed him, aided him, and got myself attached to him… It’s been eight years since I gave him his first and only loss. Ah, sorry I get overly sentimental. It just doesn’t feel right. The last place I thought I could find comfort is in this damned place…”

She said nothing as she burrowed her hands into Giotto’s pockets.

“That man’s lucky to have a father figure like you.”

“I don’t know about that,” Byakuran says quietly. “Maybe it’s the other way around.”

“Maybe both,” Nana then laughs. “Gawd, I sound so cheesy.”

Byakuran titters. “And I thought you pose a threat to my affairs… Let’s continue our chat next time, Nana-san. I’ll take my leave. It’s almost my turn to fight. Please watch it.”

And with that, he turns away to a pink door by the right.

By the time it closes, she feels Aoba nudging her elbow.

“He’s an easy guy to talk to, don’t you think?”

“Whatever,” Nana says, assuaged as she finally sits at the floor. “I thought he was going to kill me. You told him my client?”

“Of course not-“

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thu-_

The earth was shaking. She gritted her teeth as she tries to stand, but Aoba ends up hoisting her up.

“It’s the penultimate fight before the main event. Your man’s up,” he says, pointing at the lighted dusty ring.

She stares elsewhere, looking at the people who were becoming less unruly and were clearly chanting someone’s name as they stamped their feet.

“Basilicum’s a crowd favorite here. Many bet on him the most. Moreso than Byakuran (although he doesn’t mind).”

“Is he stronger than Byakuran?” she asks as two men with about the same build enter the ring. When she catches sight of Basil, her lips part slightly. She stared at his sinewy arms, down to his clearly toned abs. She could barely make out Basil’s expression, for he was looking down at his feet, his two bandaged hands fastened at his sides.

The other man in the ring felt resigned. He looked at Basil and then at his fists before bowing his head. She suddenly wished she placed her bet on this man.

From a small speaker near the screen she hears the sound of the buzzer. She felt her stomach lurch. For once, she wanted to latch her eyes shut-

“Nope,” Aoba’s voice seems so faraway. She then hears the roar from outside, and finally temptation reigned as she opens her eyes. “But he makes sure to end the match the quickest way possible.”

Basil was motionless. In the edge of the ring, being carried by two of the guards earlier, was the limp body of his opponent, eyes and mouth open, his mouthpiece dropping as they took him up.

Finally the winner bows at the direction they left, and the place was once more in uproar. Nana stared at Aoba, who already beckoned her to the longest seat in the middle of the wall. As she sat down, he pressed the play button on the remote.

The match replays, and she sees his opponent charge, aiming to throw down Basil.

Her blood runs cold as she sees Basil’s knee make contact with his opponent’s nose, and soon how his arms- bigger than she initially thought- wrapped around the man’s neck. After a few seconds, the man stopped his struggle and finally hung his head. Basil then gently releases him and lowers him.

“His match often ends at twenty seconds. I pity the guy. He was ready to get destroyed.”

“That’s Basil’s last fight, right? I’m leaving,” Nana says, standing up and seizing a crumpled brown envelope to give to Aoba. “Here. I might need your help again.”

“You’re not gonna watch Byakuran’s match? You don’t want to cross that guy.”

“I might cross paths with that guy again when the time comes,” Nana says curtly. “Call Shitopi already. I need my beauty sleep.”

“You’re shaking.”

“You don’t have to state the obvious, fuck it…” she bites her lip and half-sprints at the door. _I have to get out of here._ _I’m never going in this place again._

“Basil didn’t kill him, if that’s what you’re panicking about.”

She pauses.

“There’s an extra 10K in the envelope. Pay for his injuries. Make sure he keeps the money he was supposed to get should he have won.” She doesn’t turn.

Aoba snickered. “You haven’t changed much since two years ago. Shitopi will give you your winnings.”

“You can have it. It’s just a dent from the current paycheck I’m getting from my client,” she waves a hand as the door opens, and Shitopi chats her away about the money she made.

He immediately looks at the contents of the envelope, and then at his phone before deleting her name on his contacts list.

**-X-**

Nana turned the small grey knob a little more the right. The static was lessening. _Good, at least I know what Giotto bought wasn’t junk._ She looks past the car windows and outside. The rain was still pouring badly. She pouts as she hears static again. She turns a second knob of the rundown radio her Boss bought for her two days ago. She presses on the screen to her left, nestled at the supposed stereo of the car. It blinked and spat static for a couple of seconds before coming to life, showing a colored screen of a rusting white room with six people encircling the door. She can make out Basil’s figure nearest it.

She still couldn’t believe that this was the same guy who was ready to kill a person earlier. He didn’t appear like the Basil she remembered.

The Basil that was sweet to her, and gave her encouragements before confessing to-

She burrows her sleeves better to the inside pockets of the coat. She couldn’t take it anymore. A cigarette pops out from the pack in her breast pocket, lights from a match she was carrying. She exhales smoke and closes her eyes. She lets the pitter-patter envelop her as she sinks into her reverie…

_“Yoshimura-dono, I’m sure you’ll win his heart!”_

_“Yoshimura-dono, you’re not Lavina-dono! You shouldn’t compare yourself too much to her! You have a beauty of your own. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”_

_“Ah… yes. My dad was buried two days ago. Don’t cry! I’m ok. I have really good friends who helped me. Thank you. I’ll do my best!”_

_“You’re going to Akaneiro High, right? It’s gonna be pretty far from here… are you sure you’ll be ok with Yamamoto-dono in Guinto High? Ah, of course you will be! I’ll be cheering you guys on!”_

_Nana-san, are you sure you’re ready to come with us?_

“You chose the wrong time to invade my memories, you blasted Saiyan lookalike,” Nana mutters after the last sentence, focusing once more on her watch.

The monitor plays on. Byakuran was present, an arm resting on Basil’s shoulder. It leaves with the quick brush of Basil’s hand, followed by his sudden exit.

Nana’s mouth was open for a few seconds.

_Hold up, does thing have a rewind button-_ She thinks as she feverishly tries adjusting the buttons. And then stops. Her hands quickly start the car and turns the wheel. She then stamps hard on the breaks. _What are you doing Nana? He won’t help you. He distrusts your client. He might sabotage your client’s plans-_

She looks at her hands, completely shaking as her foot lets go and soon she’s driving again near the mouth of the secret exit she asked directions from Aoba earlier.

She wrenches one hand free from the stirring wheel and gives herself a clean slap. The car swerves with the empty front seat facing the door. “Fuck it,” she shakes her head. “Fuck it all-“

Nana waits.

But she didn’t wait long.

Her eyes stare ahead as light streaked across the sky.

She stared at her mistake.

Basil didn’t take the exit reserved for employees and entertainers.

She quickly stomps on the accelerator and makes it in time to stop just in front of him. She lowers the window, and lets her eyes dart at his startled face, slightly wet because of his tattered umbrella and her sudden entrance.

“I’ll give you a ride home,” she says, quickly closing the window. She turns as she hears the door open, but not from the front.

“GET IN THE FRONT SEAT, YOU DISOBEDIENT BUFFOON!” she hollers angrily and sends him nearly squealing in terror, finally opening the front door.

**-X-**

It was Basil who broke the ice twenty minutes later as they neared Pickpocket Street.

“You grew your hair. It looks good on you, Yoshimura-dono.”

“Gee, thanks. Would’ve been better if you brought flowers with that,” she says half-mockingly, making sure her right turn was more forceful. “Anything else?”

“You’re shaking since earlier. Looks like you saw a ghost.”

She presses her lips together, with eyes still gracing the road. The rain was lessening, and cars were littering her vision. “Nope. I saw something else.” The window opens, and out goes her cigarette. “It was something I’m not used to seeing.”

“Wild animals?” she hears him say gravely. _So he knows._

“No. He… he was just not the same man I remembered,” she says. “I never saw him… so out of place. Or maybe it was me. Maybe… I was just seeing things in rose-colored glasses. That I didn’t see him for what he truly is. Or was.” _That makes it harder._

“That man may not blame you,” he says, his voice softer than the last. “It’s his fault for not keeping in touch. For not making you see that other side of him.”

“He’s a stupid man then. He should’ve at least said he was ok. His friends were really worried,” she says as she turns round a corner. “That’s why they dragged me along. Well, they pay good cash, so I can’t blame them. I have a family to feed too.”

“They took quite a long time though.”

“I can’t blame them. They still had issues to settle,” she grins. “I respect them, to be honest. They’re willing to give anything, just to be friends with that guy again. You know, I met one of the new friends that asshole was with. He was intimidating. I didn’t like him.”

“Was he?” A pause. She looks at Basil, who was still staring at the small screen before him. She was relieved to have turned them off the last minute. “…I guess you’re right. Then he might not have been a good friend.” He leans on his seat, tilting his head upwards as he inhales deeply. He was cradling his small dark rucksack. “Maybe none of his friends there were.”

Nana smirked.

“You’re sure open, for a guy so secretive.”

“What can I say, I knew the guy!” Basil laughs. “And that guy’s never going back there again.”

She steers the car near the small white fences of his home.

“You still have any of those smokes?” he asks.

“You might not like them. They’re menthol flavored.”

“It’s fine. I haven’t tried one in years,” he says. She then gives him one. He keeps his eyes at the porch, where two people seemed to be sleeping in squashed sleeping bags. “I’m sorry to have scared you.”

A beat. Both stared at each other before turning at their windows again.

“It’s the only thing I got. And that man will live. I just choked him out so he won’t get any more injuries.”

“I’m sorry to have said that,” Nana says, exhaling another puff. “I had no reason to say you were a monster in that ring.”

“My brothers say the same thing. Over and over, they practically kept begging me to quit since they found out the first night I went there. Byakuran-san paid for my hospital bills.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“I can’t give the ‘no option’ excuse. But it made me earn money fast. It was hard at first. I had to fight five matches a night to support them in their elementary years. But Fuuta got a scholarship and they went to a public school, so I get less beat up and they complained less.”

“And now why the sudden quitting?”

“My mentor’s leaving. So is his foster family. They’re the only reason I kept going,” Basil said, his voice getting lower. “I showed up there because they said they had a big announcement. That was it.”

“Where they going to?” Nana asked, and she regretted it so. For her passenger’s eyes went dark. He takes a long draught from the cigarette and exhales a few puffs before answering.

**-X-**

Giotto and Lavina woke up and were more than nonplussed at the tattered umbrella shielding their faces from the early morning haze.

“Basil left with Lambo and Fuuta earlier,” they hear Nana, half-yawning, her hand pushing it aside to reveal herself dressed in a mint green shirt and white shorts.

“What’s with that umbrella?” Lavina says as she wipes her eyes.

“He must have put that there when he returned last night,” she says curtly, handing both of them paper cups filled with coffee and two tissue-wrapped egg sandwiches.

“Someone’s up early,” Lavina leered.

“Better pay up extra, Giotto. I had three alarm clocks ready,” Nana said, tossing to him a blue folder. He opens it and scans the photos and other typewritten reports.

“Byakuran and his foster family files are there,” she continues. Lavina now rips out her breakfast and was eating it feverishly. “The sooner I give it to you, the better. My contact was shot twenty minutes after he sent me those in his apartment. I managed to get the police report and postmortem pictures from his fellow workers. He was a decent man.”

“Did the guy have a family?” asked Giotto, his eyes never leaving the files.

“Based from the info I got, he has a four-year-old son. His friends already took him in.”

“Lavina, make sure they have my protection,” Giotto says as he closes the file and gives it to her. “They might target you next, Nana-san. Won’t you sleep with us here?”

“Don’t worry about me. I survived eleven assassination attempts. It’s part of my job description.”

“Gone through everything yet, Lavina?”

“Yep,” she says and gives it to Nana. “You can burn it now before it falls in the wrong hands.”

“Sometimes I just wish you guys would bring a tablet. You are enemies to tree-kind.”

“Too risky. It might get stolen or hacked,” the other woman yawns, hand-brushing her disheveled locks. “So, how was your ride with our ex-BFF?”

“I found his side job. He fights underground for quick cash. He scared me too. He had the skill to dominate without harming his opponent. Or maybe I overestimated him. The other guy felt like fodder.”

“Giotto, your hunch was right. He _can_ be a good candidate for the Mafia.”

“I think that’s a bad idea,” Nana shook her head and now sat beside the two, careful of revealing too much of the inside of her long navy-blue skirt. “Last night, I decided to research on Basil and check for the things I overlooked. He was an ex-Mafiosi. From the Cavallone.”

“That makes sense then,” says Lavina. “That makes sense to why he refused Byakuran’s offer to come with him.”

“Byakuran asked him to join what?”

“What the fuck, did you even scan the file?” his partner whacked him in the head once more.

“That’s your job, right?”

“Gosh, I wish I was the boss instead of you,” Lavina said in aggravation. “Byakuran’s coming to Namimori as a Mafiosi. Basil’s not happy with that. Do you remember your _Capo_ ’s text from last night?”

He looked up and bit through his sandwich. “Sho’r shaying zhat-“

“He’s joined the Nono Famiglia. They’re ready to stir up Namimori-“

“It’s a good thing Basil didn’t join him. That’s a plus point for us~”

“Yoshimura, what else did he say to you? How can we make him agree to come with us?” Lavina proceeded to ignore Giotto and turned to Nana, who was already burning the folder with her match.

“You can say he’s like a wounded animal. Keeps biting because he’s scared he’ll be worst off the moment he’s touched,” she says, tossing the last burnt piece of paper away. “In other words, he’s a drama queen.”

“So, no force?”

“If you don’t want him to bite back, you can’t use any method that will agitate him.”

“Let’s wait it out, Lavina. You can’t rush him.”

“Aren’t you listening to us, Giotto? We have to go to Namimori ASAP. We can’t let that Nono bastard start another war-“

“No, you listen to me. The both of you.”

The sudden order felt like a cracking whip that hit her lips hard shut. She waited dumbly for his words (as she tore through her sandwich in suppressed anger).

“I came here not for my own sake. I asked you the same thing before we rode to Xan-Xan. We came for Basil’s sake. We came to help him. Not the other way round. Do you understand me?”

Both nodded. Giotto’s eyes turn to the sunrise, pale yellow as it rises in the western part of the sky. “Basil’s a human being. And he cannot forget. That’s why it takes time for him to forgive our faults. And if he does come… aiding us in delivering Namimori from bloodshed is just a bonus. It’s his wish we’re granting. Not our own.”

“And if sweet-talking doesn’t work?” Lavina sneers.

“Then I’ll take matters to my own hands,” he answers simply.

“Whatever, that’s not my job,” Nana yawns. “I’ll put the breakfast you had on your tab. Please pay me by the end of the week. I’m outta here to get some sleep.”

“Thanks again, Nana-san,” he says as he waves goodbye. Nana waves without looking before starting the car.

“Uh, Giotto… Did you tell her you’re returning the sleeping bags?”

“Goodness… I forgot her cellphone number.”

“AGAIN?!”

“S-Stop talking. Your breath smells bad.”

“And yours doesn’t? You stink too!”

“You stink more!”

“Hmm… how should we take a bath? And get fresh clothes…?”

“That’s it. That’s it, Giotto. Go fuck yourself. Go. Fuck yourself.”

“Lavina, let’s ask around! Maybe the neighbors will let us-“

“G-Get off me- S-Stop-“

**-X-**

By the time Lambo and Basil returned six hours later, they were puzzled by the people encroaching their front yard. Near the porch, in the front of the throng were none other than the two.

“G-Giotto-nii! Lavina-nee!” Both said in unison as they fought to push through the others already making ruin out of their fences they posted back when they were children.

It took about ten minutes of polite pushing to get in front.

“We brought lunch and snacks!” Fuuta said as they take out the two paper bags (they had spent their allowance buying them during breaktime, but they swore to each other not to blurt it to Basil).

“H-Hello…” was the tired greeting from the man. Lavina was busy talking to  an old lady, but cast bad looks at her partner. “Thanks. We haven’t eaten since morning.”

“Why are all these people here…?” Lambo asked inquiringly.

“Patients…Clients… Phew, it’s a good thing I studied law,” Giotto said dazedly. “We asked around to have a bath. And it wasn’t exactly free. Money wouldn’t cut it. Lavina offered to help-“

“I didn’t say nothing, liar!” yelled the woman in question, nearly breaking the poor client’s back as she examined him.

“Ok I told them she could help. And word got around so here we are.”

“’Ey!” said a man from behind, holding his cap and shivering almost incessantly. “The woman over there said yer a lawyer. That true?”

Giotto pursed his lips at Lavina, who was smiling smugly as she calls out the next client.

“Sh-should we move out?” he then asks the two. “We’re sorry about this.”

“I-I don’t know. Maybe we should wait for Basil-nii to come home…” Fuuta trails off. “We’ll just go inside if you need us-“

“And where do you think you two are going?” barked Lavina. “I need two assistants out here.”

“L-Lavina, I think that’s going too far-“

“Shut up and get to work-“

“F-Fine. So… what can I help you with? Truthfully, I can only give you advice. I’m not exactly practicing-“

“That’s plenty! It’s just an issue of land ownership. My son and daughter…”

The people continued to file past, and the two siblings kept everyone entertained with tea, even as rain came pitter-pattering.

“You know,” said one woman as Lavina prescribed some medicine. “It’s a good thing we found out Basil has friends.

“Yeah,” says one of Giotto’s customers from the back. “He often goes home alone, and I rarely see him bring anyone over at his place.”

“Basilicum’s a man who keeps to himself,” the woman continues. “Maybe you guys can help him as much as you helped us.”

“That is our intention,” Giotto bows. “That’s why we’re here.”

The woman smiles. “They say you guys are from Namimori. Fuuta-kun said to us once they lived there before they moved here.”

Giotto nods respectfully.

“Looks like in a short time, Basilicum will be leaving this street. But if it will make him happy, I wish you luck,” the woman says and embraces Lavina, who turns to Giotto, mouthing ‘What the fuck.’ Giotto chuckles and smiles at everyone.

“Thank you,” says he and bows in vehemence. “We promise.”

**-X-**

When Basil returns home, he was surprised at the sight he received.

When the people looks behind, they began to clap, slowly, until it swept into a grand ovation.

He immediately recognizes his neighbors, and some of his absent colleagues, and other people he knows.

“We didn’t know you were conducting a medical mission out here. Thanks man!” said Tazaru, slapping his back in delight as he beckoned him forward to the eye of the storm.

More specifically, to his two siblings and the perpetrators.

“W-What-“ he was still utterly flummoxed as they pushed him forward. More and more began to clap in earnest once more.

“We didn’t know you had good friends man!” a man said in the crowd. Basil immediately recognizes his neighbor just across the road.

“What is going-“

“Trust us, this wasn’t our intention!” Giotto says quickly.

“Thanks Basil-san!”

“Thank you!”

“May the Lord bless you!”

Soon the crowd dispersed. It was getting dark.

“We’ll send you butterscotch tomorrow!”

“Any of you want cake?”

“CAKE!” yelled the two younger siblings in delight, and the other crowd members started to laugh.

Basil didn’t speak as the crowd left, all saying their thank you’s and well wishes. By the time the last man went past the fence, he turns around and was looking at Giotto and Lavina who were nibbling at their stale lunch, pure venom present on his face.

“I-It wasn’t their fault it got so big-“ interjects Fuuta.

“Get inside. The both of you. Please,” he said as he points at the door. The two quickly scurry to obey. The door shuts down quietly.

“We’re sorry for causing a ruckus,” Giotto says. “The children have nothing to do with this. We take full responsibility-“

“The people appreciated your efforts and think I’m the one who instigated it. I’ll tell them it’s the two of you they should be lauding,” says Basil.

“I-It wasn’t on purpose. We-“

“We’re leaving tomorrow. I have no more intention to stay here. You two can go home,” Basil said in measured patience, quickly cutting through Giotto’s explanation.

“Why?” said Lavina, half-shocked and half-furious.

“You compromised our peace,” he said grimly. “What right do you have to entertain them at my expense?”

“We’re sorry,” Giotto said, bowing his head.

“But that wasn’t our intention. If we used force to contain them a lot would get hurt-“ she puts forward angrily, but Giotto immediately lunges to her head and forces it to bow as well.

“It is our fault. We’re sorry.”

“By the time we pack our bags, please don’t follow us. You’ve caused enough ruckus. I’ve tolerated your actions, but to let others get in the way…”

“It was a free service, dammit. And we can just keep their mouths shut. It’s easy for us to silence them. Money-“

“Lavina, just apologize.”

“You stupid fuck-“

Giotto clasped her arm. She immediately bows her head lower.

“I’ll let you stay the night. But please leave tomorrow.”

He raised his head and was looking at him directly.

“I’m sorry, but I do not agree to your terms. Wherever you go, we can always search for you.”

“Be honest with me then. What do you want?” Basil said coldly.

“An ultimatum,” he says. “You. Me. Fight. Here at sunrise.”

The look of surprise didn’t leave Basil’s face.

“Are you sure?”

Even Lavina’s expression matched Basil’s.

“Giotto… even this guy’s thinking you’re nuts. You said-”

“Change of plans, Lavina. This guy’s leaving tomorrow. I don’t see any hesitation in his eyes,” he replies, smiling at her.

Basil’s eyes widen as he looks at his estranged friend’s calm face. His expression becomes unreadable.

“5 AM tomorrow. We intend to catch the first trip,” he says finally. “You two can sleep in the living room. I’m going on ahead.” With that, the door closes.

She was still staring at Giotto, her mouth trying to string words.

“Relax, Lavina. I know what I’m doing.”

“T-This is not the time to act cool, you stupid son of a bitch!” Lavina says, gathering his clothes and shaking him feverishly. “That asshole might kill you!”

“Lavina-neechan’s right!” they hear Lambo’s shrill voice. Out he comes with Fuuta.

“Giotto-nii, at the best case scenario you’ll lose with a few bruises. You can follow us anytime. You can even kidnap us-“

“What the fuck, you stupid kid we aren’t like that!” Lavina quickly says as he embraces them both. “Seriously, you watch too many Mafia shows. We’re not like them.”

“Fuuta’s right. That guy _will_ kill you,” says Nana from behind. The younger two were quick to embrace her, sending the files she had falling from her arms. “Miss you guys too.”

“Yoshimura, I’ll save your number,” Lavina says quickly.

“Here,” Nana tosses a small card. As the silver-haired girl taps away on her phone, she gives Giotto her baggage and takes out her tablet from her coat. “Those are files about Basil’s fights. Shitopi compiled them for me.”

“Who the fuck is Shitopi?”

“An ex-member of the annihilated Simon Famiglia. They run the gambling ring Basil fights in,” she says as she takes out a cigarette and lights it. “I also have videos of his fights. If you notice-“

“I don’t need them.”

Everyone stared at Giotto in pregnant silence. Fuuta and Lambo’s mouths were wide open; Lavina’s hair were like snakes caressing her livid face; Nana’s lips were fiercely pursed together.

“Really,” Giotto reiterates, carefully folding everything aside and giving everyone a bright smile. “I’ll be fine.”

“Lavina’s right. Your obsession with bringing back Basil made you a nut,” Nana groans as she scoops up her things.

“Is dinner ready?” Giotto seems not to hear her as he lets Fuuta and Lambo hold him in both hands inside.

The two stare at the door close in silence. Nana inhales once more at her cigarette.

“Seriously, Yoshimura you’ll get uglier if you continue to do that,” Lavina admonishes as she sits on the wooden stairs in defeat.

“Can’t help it. This week’s stressing me out.”

Lavina’s phone beeps. She nudges at Nana after taking a look at it.

“Can you give me his suit? He said he’ll wear it tomorrow.”

“Still fashion-conscious as ever, that idiot,” Nana says as she stamps out her cigarette. “I applaud you on sticking with him for so long. He’s an unpredictable whirlwind. You must’ve wished you stayed out of the way at times.”

Lavina leans back and basks under the moth-infested light. “What can I say, it’s an interesting ride when you’re caught in it.”

Nana grins. “Dangit, I wish I can think of something cool to say.”

“You should really watch old school movies more. Let’s have a movie night sometime. Girls only.”

**-X-**

Giotto woke up at 4 AM and was happy to beat Lavina, who was still snoring loudly, his pressed _Armani_ beside her. As he tiptoes to the kitchen- suit with hanger in hand- and to the bathroom though, he was blinded by the light the moment he opened the door.

“Good morning, Giotto-nii!” says Fuuta in a high-pitched voice. “Breakfast is ready!”

“I’ll take that!” says Lambo, scampering from his left and seizing the hanger from his hands with the suit flying behind him.

“Lambo-kun-“ Giotto yawns but stops in his steps when he sees a Basil sipping his hot chocolate by the corner.

“Morning,” was his stiff greeting as he takes a bite off the bacon in his plate.

“There’s an empty seat beside Basil-nii!” Fuuta sings out. “I’ll be bringing your plate in a jiff.”

Giotto looks around and notices there was no other seat other than the one beside Basil. _These kids are slicker than I thought._

He obeys. Lambo pours hot chocolate by his right. His plate of bacon, eggs and rice was then served beside him. He takes the fork and spoon on his left and begins to chop the bacon and mix the egg with the rice. He couldn’t look at Basil.

“Eh… are you guys ok? It’s a fine morning isn’t it? I don’t see any clouds,” Fuuta peers at the window.

“That’s because it’s still dark out,” was Basil’s flat reply as he takes another bite of egg, his chair inching a little away from Giotto’s.

The other man says nothing as he slowly chews the rest of the egg and rice.

“But I see stars, Basil-nii. It’s gonna be a beautiful day!” Fuuta says, not weathered by the silence dampening the room. Lambo was already pouring another cup.

“Have you guys packed your bags yet?” Basil presses.

“Umm… no. We slept after washing the dishes last night.”

“That’s fine. I’ve already packed your stuff. We can’t bring all your clothes,” he says with the same mechanical tone as he finishes the rest of his breakfast. “Here,” he then says. Giotto feels a sharp jab at his arm and now notices Basil’s outstretched hand nesting a roll of bandages. “It will cushion the impact every time your punch makes contact.”

“Thanks…” Giotto trails off, rubbing the arm. “It will help a lot.”

“Fuuta has the kettle ready in case you need hot water,” he then adds, closing the door quietly as he left.

Giotto continues to stare at his breakfast.

“Giotto-niichan?” Lambo says as he sits on the vacated chair. “Are you ok? You’ve been looking pale.”

“Ehehe… sorry about that,” he says as he begins to shake, his fork losing contact with the plate and was falling to the floor. “I think… I think I need to calm down a-a bit.”

“W-We can call it off Giotto-niichan!”

“You can have us kidnapped!”

“That’s really going too far, Fuuta-kun,” Giotto says as he quickly spoons his meal. Like a slovenly lion, he relishes the rest of the yellowed rice and bacon, as well as gulps his drink. “Thanks for the meal!” He sings out, but his spoon falls and he begins shaking uncontrollably.

“Niichan!” both scream and began to sob.

“It’s not my funeral!” Giotto sighs. “I’m not going to die.”

“B-But why are you wearing a s-suit?”

“It’s just a thing,” he says assuringly, patting both their heads. “Now stop crying or Lavina will wake up-“

“Too late asshole. The last thing I need is to make up a eulogy later,” a woman says, opening the door and making the three jump. “So what’s for breakfast?”

“E-Eh, I’ll take a bath now-“ Giotto runs forward to an empty door and closes it.

“Do you need hot water, Giotto-nii?” Fuuta calls out, a hand ready at the kettle.

“I’m fine with the cold!” he refuses. A sound of surging water was then followed by a yelp.

“What’s this?” Lavina then asks as she takes the bandages Basil gave Giotto earlier.

“Handwraps,” Fuuta said as he begins washing the egg-stained plates Lambo gave him. “Basil-nii gave them to him earlier.”

“How nice of the dude,” Lavina yawns. “Yo, squirt, can you add more bacon to my meal and extra catsup?”

“Umm… will Giotto-nii be ok? He’s been acting funny earlier,” whispers Fuuta, now drying the plates.

“He looked scared. We’re worried, Lavina-neechan.”

“You know, he can hear you from over there even if you whisper,” she said matter-of-factly, before spearing her bacon. “Of course he’s scared shitless. He must be peeing himself in the shower right now. He’s facing a friend. A powerful friend at that.”

“I am not!” they hear Giotto’s muffled scream from the plastic door.

“It’s normal to get scared,” she said after swallowing a bite. “But at the end of the day, no matter how scary our choices are, we have to stick to it.”

“Are you scared for Giotto-niichan too?” Lambo asked.

“Nah. He’ll be fine. I’m scared for Basil though. About you guys. I mean, you heard what Giotto said last night, right?”

“It’s fine… It was for the best. Basil-nii has been such a great big brother to us.”

“Yeah. He always thinks what would help us the most. But…” Lambo shakes his head before answering. “It’s time we think what’s best for him. That’s why we want to go to Namimori.”

The door moves a little. Lavina looks at the window. The lock was fastened.

“He raised you well,” she smiles as she ruffles their hair. “Man, I wished I had siblings.”

**-X-**

The two agreed to stage their fight in the backyard, where only a long stretch of rubble greeted them; Basil specifically chose a lot at the edge of town. Lambo and Fuuta were forced to carry their entire luggage, which composed of two big duffel bags and one red backpack. Lavina and Nana were already present and drawing the four borders, about five by five feet across.

Giotto was having difficulty taping his hands until Basil approached over to wrap them properly. The two siblings were hopeful Basil will call it off.

“Ryohei Sasagawa wore these things too, didn’t he?” Giotto says after Basil does a final check on his work. He gets no reply.

From behind the audience (consisting of the two siblings and the two women), Tsuyoshi heavily panted as the clock ticks three minutes before the designated time.

“Good thing I made it. Hey… What the hell are you doing here?” he screams in shock once he catches eyes on Nana, who was folding her arms and jeering at him.

“Just in time…” she drawls. “Get the hell in there. You referee.”

“What?! B-But- what the hell?” he bumbles as he does walk in the middle of the square. Lavina looked at her watch. Two minutes left.

“So referee, what are the rules?” Lavina says sardonically. The two teens immediately shake her and make whooping noises, aware of her good intentions.

“Uh…” Tsuyoshi begins thumbing his face. Basil already removes his jacket to reveal well-toned biceps and a noticeable figure from his loose shirt. Giotto removes his tuxedo, revealing rolled-up sleeves. He looks more a stringy willow to Basil’s giant oak.

“Say, Lavina-nee?” Fuuta asks. “Is Giotto-niichan any good?”

“Dunno, I never saw him fight before,” Lavina snorts before bursting into tears from laughing so hard. “He’s a goner, HAHAHAHA!”

“She’s evil!” the two teens exclaimed as they glanced to their watch. One minute left.

“Why do we have to depend on this clown?” Nana facepalms. Tsuyoshi gave her a threatening gesture before putting his hands together.

“I finally have an idea!” says Tsuyoshi. (“Here goes,” Nana moans.) “I saw this in an anime. The two should fight to make the other person surrender. He cannot kill or KO his opponent. This way no one gets seriously hurt!”

“This idiot…He didn’t even mention any rounds or the parts an opponent shouldn’t hit…” Lavina muttered as her phone rang. It was five o’clock.

“Ok, place your bets,” yawns Nana. “I’m pretty sure Giotto will cry uncle.”

“Same here,” echoes Lavina.

“I thought you were my friends!” Giotto cries out as he looks at Tsuyoshi. Basil’s hands were on his sides as he waits.

“We’re with Giotto-nii!” cheers Fuuta.

“Yeah!” says Lambo.

“I thought you were my brothers…” Basil mutters, never losing sight of Tsuyoshi.

Tsuyoshi looks at both Giotto and Basil, his expression lost. Then he looks at the audience and asks, “So… what am I supposed to do?”

A gunshot pierced the morning air. Tsuyoshi looked at his right shoulder. A hole was present and missed flesh in millimeters. His yelp of fear was too late.

“You’re supposed to signal them to start… this- this- stupid son of a bitch…” Lavina was shaking. A gun was already in her right hand, poised for another round.

“Ah, right… S-Sorry… OK, BEGIN!” he finally cries out, raising his hand.

Giotto half-bends his left knee, raising his right fist by chest-level and draws near.

“Woah, looks promising,” Lavina whistles. “Since when did he learn that?” she turns at Nana.

“He must’ve made that up. I didn’t see him train with anyone.”

Basil, stance-less, merely walks forward confidently to meet his opponent. Giotto wore a serious expression as he continues to inch closer.

The two siblings outside the ring were holding each other’s shirt, their knees wobbling in trepidation. Lavina was laughing. Nana was counting her purse.

Basil spoke the moment they met at the center.

“This is your last chance,” he told him, his eyes already reading his opponent’s reach and direction of attack. “Surrender. As much as I want to break every bone in your body for not being a better friend, I’ll let it slide,” he forced a somber smile from his lips. For a moment, Giotto dimly remembered the person he never looked back to a long time ago.

He lunges. Basil steps aside and moves carefully to the left.

“Sorry,” his fellow combatant shakes his head. “As much as I’m scared of doing this, this is my choice.” He attempts to punch Basil’s face with his right once more, but he sidesteps again and grasps his outstretched arm.

“Then,” Basil murmurs, his tone devoid of emotion, his eyes ablaze. “You made the wrong one.” He slips the victimized arm through his opponent’s back and pulls. Giotto gave out a bloodcurdling scream.

The taunting look on Lavina’s expression was wiped blank as she looks at the fallen man, who was twitching on the dusty ground, his left hand covering the right shoulder. Basil towered over him, silent as he waits for Giotto to speak-

“Did- Did Basil-nii break Giotto-nii’s arm?” Fuuta’s voice was higher than usual. His younger brother’s mouth was open. Lavina couldn’t reply, as she trembled. Nana nodded for her. Nodded quite furiously.

“Do your worst,” Giotto answers, his voice trembling but unyielding. Basil immediately hits him straight in the nose, making blood dribble on his dusty white shirt. As Giotto shakes his head, Basil punches his open mouth, and kicks him to the ground.

Lambo lets out a stifled cry as Giotto spits out a tooth after another and covers his eyes. Nana holds the dark-haired boy close, her frown deepening.

Giotto stands, carefully, slowly-

Until his cheek makes contact with Basil’s vicious hook, ramming into him even as he gets pinned with the ground. He now sits on Giotto’s protesting abdomen and begins hailing him with more punches- mechanically- coldly- brutally-

“Tsuyo-nii!” Fuuta pleads. “Please stop the fight,” he says, clambering down the fence, but Lavina holds his arms back almost desperately. “Tsuyo-nii, please!”

“Hey squirt,” Lavina says as she pulls him back. “Can you chill out and listen to me? It’s a battle of wills. No matter how many bones Basil breaks or teeth he knocks out, he can’t kill Giotto. It’s in the rules-”

“B-But Giotto-nii- Giotto-nii’s still-“ he says, now bursting to tears. “Giotto-nii’s not fighting back!”

“Here that, Giotto?” Lavina calls out to the heavily-beaten man. “Even the kid knows how much an idiot you are. Stand up and fight him seriously.”

Basil continues to pound his opponent’s face quietly. The referee inches closer, ready to throw himself in.

“Did you hear that, Primo-dono?” Basil murmurs as he now attacks his injured shoulder. Giotto yells in pain. “Do you really think you can win without hitting me once?” He releases his grip and stands. His opponent immediately begins gulping for air and unbuttons his shirt, revealing a metal ring with a blue crystal dangling on a silver chain. He tries moving his feet, letting his good arms support him as he tries to rise. His face was a work of a sculptor’s rage, grotesque and unidentifiable, with dried scarlet on the holes of what seems to be a mouth and two nostrils. He staggers a little as he stands.

“I’m-“ he inhales as blood bubbles on his mouth. The two kids scream as they retreat on the women’s arms. Basil coldly gazes at his handiwork. “Not- I’m- not- I’m not a quitter, Basil.”

“I see,” he says, his face blank. “Then I’ll break your other arm-“

“Niichan!” Lambo screams as Basil quickly dodges a 45 kick and seizes his other arm and roughly dislodges it from his shoulder. Giotto’s scream was agonizing for the two women, who both closed their eyes as the mad artist chipped another block away.

“Tsuyo-nii, please stop Basil-nii. Please…” Fuuta says in hushed tones as his legs give way.

Tsuyoshi could only shake his head in his helplessness. The rules he made up forbade him to step in when there’s still light in Giotto’s eyes.

“You haven’t changed one bit, Primo-dono,” Basil says as he cracks his knuckles, looking at Giotto, whose hands hung limp to his sides, his feet and eyes the only thing alive. “You’ll let other people suffer just to get what you want. Isn’t it mortifying, to make them see how powerless you are?”

He shakes, his feet protesting as he marches forward slowly to Basil, his gaze, never leaving his face. His opponent’s eyes become more lifeless as he also walks forward, his two hands at the ready.

He then stops walking and smiles at the two women, his teeth bubbling with blood from the broken nose and split lips. The auburn-haired one gives him a sad smile. Lavina meanwhile, turns away, folding her arms.

“Byakuran-san told me- _always- look- at- your- opponent!_ ” Basil says as every word was punctuated by a punch. Giotto falls, his back once more facing the ground. He looks up and sees the sky, a milky swirl of periwinkle and lemon; a reminder that the new day will soon rise.

“Basil…” he begins, his feet screaming as he hoists himself up. “I don’t have any pride left for the kind of man I’ve become,” he says as he continues to move forward, his two hands flopping along. He cringes as he feels the impact of a body blow. Basil gives him another one, now making him hack blood at his face. He turns at the two women. Lavina was now looking at him, flushed. Nana’s eyes were reddening as she covers her face. “Why…” he continues as he stumbles, making Basil’s fist miss his jaw by inches. “Why should I… be mortified, when I have good friends… who follow me… not because I force them to?” He lands on his bottom. “Can I ask you… how does it feel to hurt people with your own fists? Does… does it feel good?” His vision blurs, with Tsuyoshi’s silhouette fading in and out in his line of vision. Basil’s head tilted to the side as he vapidly stared at him. _Crap. Looks like this is it. Lavina would kill me._

“I… don’t feel anything. I really don’t feel anything whenever I… harm them. When I harm you.”

“You’re a bad liar, Basil.” Giotto struggled as he nearly loses sight of the sky. “You’re a kind man. I don’t see the eyes of a killer. It’s faint, but I see the old you somewhere in there.”

Basil now hits him with an uppercut, knocking him quickly to the edge of the ring. Giotto’s shaking feet prevented him from going down again.

“Do… you know what keeps me going? Why I’m… Why we’re here with you?” he says as he begins advancing in much slower steps. With much effort, he points with his split lips and looks down, down at the ring dangling on the end. “I just want to ask if- if you still have the rings. I-“ Giotto slumps down, but he tries tilting his head to finish his words, using the last of his strength to finish his words. “I g-gathered the other guardians. We’re not the only ones wearing the Vongola rings anymore.” It was enough to make his eyes close.

Basil also falls to his knees as he stares at the mass of flesh he has finished sculpting. He seemed to understand what Giotto was trying to say. More and more people came close, screaming the supposed name of the mass of clay. He stares at it, his vision hazy. He wipes his face hastily, hiding his damp eyes from his old friends.

“Hey.” Tsuyoshi comes to offer him a hand. “Primo lost consciousness. You lost.”

“That’s some twisted verdict you got there,” Basil said, now standing up and looking at the fallen victor. Lavina ran to the front yard and probably to the car to get her medicine kit. Nana was instructing the two kids to get ice from a neighbor and they rushed on ahead, ignoring Basil. “Funny. He was a novice, but he never did try to harm me. What a fool.”

“Will his arms-“

“They’ll be fine. I made sure to target the joints, so it will be easy to pop in again.” Basil says, shielding his eyes from the morning light. Fuuta and Lambo have returned, wrapping ice on their small towels and placing them on Giotto’s face. Lavina had come back as well and was barking everyone out of the way, taking off her coat and tying up her hair. Basil averts his gaze once Lavina shots a hardy look at him. “He never did…” he mutters to himself. “He never condemned me for what I did to him. He listened to me and wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions.”

“So what’s the ring he’s talking about?”

“A thing I gave him. Lavina also has one, in her left ring finger. I lost mine a long time ago,” Basil says quietly. “I don’t know where the rest of my collection went. I left all the KHR memorabilia behind when I quit the Mafia.”

“And Giotto said some mumbo-jumbo about gathering the guardians. Is that a promise you made?”

“Something like that, yeah. It’s embarrassing to think about…” he laughs.

“Geez, you never tell me anything,” Tsuyoshi huffs. “So what do you think? Ready to go to Namimori?”

“I don’t have much of a choice do I?” he says with a smile. “You coming along?”

“Course I am! Though not with her,” he points at the auburn-haired woman, who quickly throws a roll of gauze at his face.

“And who the fuck nearly had Giotto killed? You’re a fucking bad referee! I’d rather you not come with us!”

He leaves a reeling Yamamoto and Nana as their shouting match escalates. Basil looks at Lavina who was vainly trying to rejoin Giotto’s arm to his shoulder. His approach was slow, almost timid.

“Here,” he says, offering a hand. Lavina shoots him another wild look as she gently pushes Giotto’s body to sit up by the back. Basil quickly pops the two arms back in, making Giotto jerk twice. Lavina stares at him, biting her lip.

“We underestimated your strength,” she says, signaling the two kids to give her the medicine bag. “I know you still held back.”

“I underestimated Giotto’s will,” Basil corrected soberly, holding his friend’s body up as Lavina takes out two boards to place on his arms. “He looked so cool,” he smiles. “Just like Vongola Primo.”

Lavina says nothing as she then wraps his arms tenderly. Basil stares at her calculative green eyes, and then at her naturally saccharine lips before turning at Giotto, whose battered face was unrecognizable and looked less like a face. He doesn’t turn away as he feels a sharp pang bite through his chest-

He bows. He bows in all fours, turning at Lavina and the man she was nursing. She could see him force himself not to tremble but to speak with conviction. Without a shed of pride.

“I’m sorry,” were his words. He closes his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He repeats.

“Lavina…” she turns at her patient, who was feebly turning his head to Basil. “P-Please let him stop.”

“Ok that’s enough,” was her dull reply to the request. “You won’t be of any help if you continue apologizing. Hold this arm while I wrap the sling around his neck.”

Basil looks up, Lavina’s eyes were still slanted in distrust, her voice still laced with contempt. But he takes the request for help.

“If he did fight you for real, would’ve you tried to kill him?” Lavina says in a gruff voice.

Basil shook his head earnestly. “That’s what scares me the most.”

“Hmpph. I still hate you for not surrendering early on,” she huffs, wrapping the second sling in the cleanest way possible. “You despise Giotto that much, don’t you?”

“Can we start over then? I’m Basilicum…” he extends his hand in sheepish introduction. “You can call me Basil.”

Lavina’s eyes continues to pierce through his hand before she slowly shakes it with hers. “Lavina. Just Lavina.”

“Basil-nii!”

“Basil-niichan!”

His two brothers crowd around him. They were still trembling.

“Wah, fight us!” they scream as they raise their fists. “We’ll fight in Giotto-nii’s place!”

Basil stares at the towering figures of his brothers, sweat now trickling from his forehead. “Calm down. I lost.”

“E-Eh?!” both of them exclaim in surprise.

“Looks like you two won the bet,” Nana says from behind them, handing them a brown envelope. She lights herself another cigarette. The two siblings howl in delight as they count the bills inside.

“Don’t spoil them too much,” Lavina reminds her.

“I sent that to your tab. Can you kick Giotto awake? We should be going. I’m running on a tight schedule.”

“D-Don’t hit me,” Giotto says weakly, getting support from his friend to stand. Basil immediately takes over, carefully steering Giotto past the bags and making sure to support him from the back.

“Tsuyo-nii! Help us carry out bags for us!”

“B-But I have to carry my own luggage!”

“I’m not making that guy ride in my car.”

“I’m bringing my car, Yoshimura!”

“Let’s see, the kids will ride with me and Basil. The other two and the rest of the luggage will go to the ugly car-“

“Hey, the kids and Basil will ride with me! You have the luggage!”

“Excuse me?!“

“Your punches hurt a lot,” Giotto admits, hobbling a little as they quietly followed the rest. The two ex-lovers continued bickering. “TYB, I wouldn’t have dreamed you’ll be like this. Maybe you can teach me sometime. I need to stop depending on my bodyguard.” His eyes look at Lavina, who was dabbing Vaseline on his face before walking away.

“When was the last time you fought without fighting?” Basil asks.

“Ehehe…. This was actually the first time I tried to pick a fight with someone. Moreso with my best friend…”

 Basil looks at Giotto, who was now smiling at the ground with both eyelids to swollen to see with.

“I’m glad it worked. But I doubt it will again in Namimori. Or anywhere. The real world isn’t quite a nice place. But if it’s with my friends, like you…”

“Best friend, huh? How long will you believe in fairy tales?” Basil nods quietly as they now pass their house of eight years. His two siblings were saying goodbye to it already. 

“Join them. I can go there myself.”

Basil stares at the rusting metal of their supposed-roof. He also looks at the earthen ground, where wildflowers kept growing despite their best efforts to regularly weed their front yard, inhales, and takes a step forward.

“Nah. You need my help,” he says as he now half-carries his friend. “And now’s not the perfect time to say goodbye.”

“Then when’s the perfect time to?”

Basil removes the binds on his hands and looks at the people in front of him, all waving at them to hurry up. He laughs. “Maybe I’ll find out when I return to Namimori. Along with other answers to all your hard questions.”

“You’re optimistic. That’s good,” Giotto says before calling out the others. “Can you guys come over here? We need to take a selfie before we leave. My camera’s behind the driver seat, Nana.”

“Sheesh, look at you people who have time to dilly-dally,” Nana blows a puff before taking out Giotto’s DSLR and adjusts the screen. “Know what, just hold this so you can be useful Yamamoto.”

“Stop smoking, dammit. You’ll make the kids copy you,” Tsuyoshi said in his deep scolding voice.

“We’re not kids anymore Tsuyo-nii! Basil-nii taught us that smoking’s bad.”

“Seriously, from the guy who took a whiff two nights ago?” Nana mutters under her breath as she squeezes the kids near her together.

“Move the fuck out of the way, Yamamoto!” screams Lavina as she tries jumping over Tsuyoshi’s towering figure. She attempts to give a disgusted face as she pushes herself in front of him.

“This ain’t a mugshot fest, Lavina. Kay guys, say cheese!”

“Bacon,” Nana responds before making a face as the camera clicks.

“Wah, Tsuyo-niichan can we see it? Can we see it?”

“Now get in the car kids. And you adults too,” Nana says in a business-like way.

“We’re not kids anymore, Nana-nee!”

“One last picture please, Nana-san. Lavina, can you go there to Basil’s left?”

“Seriously?” she folds her arms as she does go and frowns at the camera.

“Smile, Lavina.”

“Fuck you, Primo. I can do whatever I want.”

“The terrible three reunited, eh?” Tsuyoshi says, nearing Nana’s side as she adjusts the angle.

“Your shadow’s in the way Yamamoto,” Nana complains as she puffs at his face.

“Quit- breathing that- fucking cigarette-“ he meanwhile seizes the cigarette from Nana, who was in a flurry of rage as she attempts to take it back, still pushing the ‘Capture’ button-

* * *

 

**Next Chapter:**

The picture was off center when it was taken. But it did get a smiling Lavina, who became more beautiful in front of the golden hour, her eyes as gay as they rarely were. Basil’s smile was softer, but radiant. The first out of many more genuine smiles to come. Giotto’s was barely noticeable, with only his mouth laughing to showcase two missing teeth. The yellow sky took three-fourths of the picture. It was an echo of the good times. Of better days.

Looking back, maybe it’s not right that I’m the one telling the story. I’m an outsider. The things I wrote down about twenty-two years ago may not all be true. The primary sources had different versions of how Basil decided to return to Namimori. I can only choose the least implausible one to write down.

But no one else can tell this tale. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi. This is their story. How the world became like this. How they found me.

It all began in Namimori.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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